Week 24: Adventures of the Texan companion

Alo!

Well I had the awesome privilege of being online at the same time as Zach this morning. We talked about his upcoming skype call (woot woot), our sister's recent engagement... Mostly we just quoted Nacho Libre to each other back and forth, which was awesome. He sent us a package last week full of Latin chocolate bars, which we also loved. I instantly became addicted to a Super Ocho, which is basically a giant Kit Kat. NOM NOM NOM.

As you all know, Zach moved to a different sector last week (closer to Concepcion). I can tell you one thing he hates it and is coming home tomorrow. Dang it, he actually isn't... Oh well.  Anyways he actually loves it. It has been cool change to have so many people attending church on Sundays. He said that it ALMOST feels like his home ward here in Utah, with a packed sacrament meeting. He is now right next to the beautiful beach, which he is looking forward to running to every morning, before scripture study, with his new companion... Drum roll please... Elder Gibson!  He is a super hard core, hard working, Texan cowboy. Zach said that he is like a cowboy Captain America. So that is kind of awesome. I am guessing he probably rides long horn bulls, while hunting for rabid, wild coyotes. Zach is getting along with him super well and I guess they really mesh. When Zach arrived at his new home, the previous missionaries left a humongous mess. I imagined a hoarder house with rotting milk in the fridge, garbage all over the floors, coupon clippings pinned up all over the walls, cockroaches crawling out from behind picture frames, maggots inside the walls... Probably not, but I enjoyed that picture. Anyways, they took a day and just cleaned the heck out of that house and now he says it is probably the best house in the area.

The letter was a little short this week because we will be talking to him on Thursday, but we will keep you updated on all of the happenings this week!

Until then, HASTA LUEGO!

Week 23: Adventures of a pregnant dog chasing a sheep in the back of a truck (say that 3 times fast)

The missionaries humble Christmas tree

Alo everybody!

We got a box from Zach this week. It is chuck full of Chilean chocolate, so too bad for all of you, but we are all over here getting fat off delicious foreign chocolate.

We found out that Zach is transferring to another sector this week, (actually, yesterday to be precise) to a place called Lagunillas, which is closer to Concepcion. One of the Elders who Zach was living with in Victoria said that it is amazing. Elder Van Pelts new companion will be Elder Gibson, who is from Texas y'all! So that will be exciting for Zach to get to know his new companion.

A milagro (miracle) that happened this week with Zach is, he and his companion were out and about after all of their appointments had fallen through for the day. As they stopped on a street corner, a thought came to Zachs mind, "contact everyone". As soon as he had that thought a woman carrying some groceries walked past them, and he knew she was "the one". He caught up to her and asked if they could help carry her groceries , to which she accepted. During conversation on the way to her house, they found out that this woman was actually a member and had two daughters at home who were not members, ages 13 and 15. She invited them to come over and teach them, right that minute, which is awesome! They showed the family the new Christmas video done by the church, (which I have posted below in this blog post for you all to watch) and they ended up setting up another appointment for this Sunday. It amazes me that Zach had the feeling to stop at that corner, receive the message to look around him, and focus in on this woman whose daughters had not been baptized.  A true miracle that they were there at that time and place to help her with her groceries, whereas they may not have been their if any of their appointments hadn't been cancelled.

Zach and Momita, she does their laundry and feeds them :)

The title of the blog post this week is pretty self explainable, and really there is nothing more to the story. I simply put it there to grab your attention. But it did happen, and Zach did not let it go without mention in his letter. In fact, it seemed like he was a little too excited about how funny it was to see a little pregnant dog running so fast to chase this sheep truck. Anyways...

The pillowcase that we all signed with our favorite scriptures and sent to Zach

Zach kind of celebrated Christmas this week with all of the other missionaries. He opened his presents from us and went to a Christmas conference in Temuco. All of the missionaries in South Concepcion were there, so they had a humongous Christmas feast with potatoes, corn, gravy, salad, and they even let him carve the roast beast! (ok there was no roast beast, i'm just obsessed with the grinch, and so is Zach, so I think he would appreciate my reference in his mission blog.) This conference was 6 hours long and made him super excited for Christmas. He is also excited to spend Christmas on his mission remembering the true meaning of Christmas. This Christmas Zachs holiday is centered on Christ and family. He has had a chance to step back (away from commercialized Christmas) and see the things in life that are truly important and worth celebrating. I think that may be something that we could all work on as the holiday fast approaches next week. Let us try and remember who was sent here to Earth to set an example and to suffer and die for all of our sins. What an incredible gift to the world, that Heavenly Father gave his only begotten son. Spend this holiday thanking our Heavenly Father for all of the many blessings we have, do some service, help one another and show your love for your family, because Jesus Christ is the reason we can be with them for all eternity if we just follow him and do our best. I am thankful that Zach was able to share that information with us and that we could be reminded that Jesus Christ and the atonement are the ultimate gift to all of mankind.

Thank you all for reading and I hope you have a great Christmas!!!

Hasta luego!

Week 22: Adventures of Sneezy Mcgee and the spring-time snotters

Alo everybody!

Well Zach is finally feeling like a man! He is growing each and every day and is being prepared for life beyond his mission. It is incredible to see the change he is going through for the better (as if I could ever think he could grow into a better person than he was).  This is his last week for this area. Crazy right? It seems like he has just loved it in Victoria. All the people have been so inspirational and funny to hear about. But we need to hear about more grandmas in different places, so he must move on. He has heard rumors from other missionaries that he will be transferred and will become a trainer! That went by fast, now hes the big guy in the field! A proud papa he will be. Isn't that great, that the only gossip in the mission field for him is about his transfer information? How scandalous!
He has accomplished a lot in his current area. Do you remember the grumpy grandma with the yappy dogs? (refer to earlier blog posts for the story) She and her daughter, who were previously inactive, have been to church the last 11 Sundays in a row! He has loved to see them grow in the gospel and become more active in the church.

Zach was super excited last week to receive a letter from our little brother Nick. If you know our family, Nick is a boy of few words, and given our family dynamic of sarcasm, that is usually what our conversations consist of. So this was a big deal and it was really special for Zach to get this letter from Nicky. In this letter, Nick wrote about reading and finishing The Book of Mormon for the first time, and the difference he saw in his life after achieving that. Zach testified of the truthfulness of The Book of Mormon and that it can guide us and give us great examples to follow in our days on earth.

Elder Van Pelt is getting his allergies, just in case you were wondering, "hey I wonder if Zach is getting his allergies?" Chile is on opposite seasons than us, so as we enter winter, Chile is just entering their spring season. Hence the sneezy missionary man. The sneezing didn't stop this guy though, he went and got some medicine, then went straight back to work.

Its been a while since I put an excerpt from Zachs letter on here so I am going to do that now. I read this and it just really touched my heart. It truly is such an amazing thing that he is out doing and he can definitely see the blessings that are coming from serving his brothers and sisters in Chile.

"What life's really all about:

I was around the dinner table with familia Sanchez as we were having our Sunday almuerzo. I was watching everything happen as I saw the 3 girls laughing and playing, and the mom and dad cracking jokes, smiling and having fun. The thought came to me as I sat there next to my companion eating noodles and chicken in a Chilean house in Victoria, this is what life's really all about. I had a sweet confirmation of why i'm doing what i'm doing. I want others to have the joy of the gospel. I want to help in this great cause to help people receive the blessings of the gospel and temple so they can live as an eternal family. I may not be making a lot of sense right now but I want people to have those moments, like I had, when we just stop, think and say to ourselves, wow this is awesome. The gospel gives us joy and I see it in action every day around me."

I would say that is a pretty great way to end this weeks post. Hasta luego amigos!

Week 21: Adventures of the grandma who really wants to set Zach up on a date

Alo everybody!

Zach got a big ol' Christmas package from my mom and dad this week, so he was uber excited about that. I sent out his package with all of your wonderful little snippets in it, so hopefully he will get that  pretty soon. Because of all this Christmas cheer he is recieving, he actually got really excited and went out to by a Christmas tree (picture below). It is probably the most beautiful, organic, pine tree I have ever seen in my entire life. Tis the season!

This week Zach contacted ANOTHER undercover cop who was super interested in taking lessons. Uhhhh what the heck? Makes me think that the missionaries really are part of the C.I.A. Is Zach even a real human being, or is he a robot? Goes to show, you really never know who may be looking for the gospel.

Zach had a wonderfully, poor, Chilean, non-traditional, missionary thanksgiving. Since those Chileans don't celebrate our turkey day, he and the missionaries in his house had to come up with something a little different, and so forth shakesgiving was born. At least that is what I am calling it. Happy shakesgiving Zachy! All they had were some darn shakes! No turkey... No stuffing... Not even a fiesta! Oh well, I guess we will just have to stuff him full of turkey when he gets back.

While contacting this week Zach and Elder Pistorius found a young man who was very interested in their message. They ended up spending an hour at this young mans house to help with some problems he has been having. This investigator has been struggling with homosexuality and some of the feelings he had about that. Turns out this young man was doing his best to overcome the overwhelming amount of temptation that had been building up in his life. Zach of course has been changed for the better in this aspect, as he did not judge this young man like he may have before his mission. Zach explained of all that God has in store for him if he truly wants to work on these emotions and that we all have problems and trials that Jesus Christ atoned for. Zach is really excited to have gotten another appointment with this young man and to possibly be an instrument in helping this guy love himself and know of Heavenly Fathers love for him.

They contacted another lady and gave maybe a 5 minute message in her home. I guess the spirit was super strong and she even asked Zach to share his testimony. During this whole visit I guess she kept complimenting Zach's eyes, over and over again. (I forgot to mention this was the weekly grandma story). Zach explained that they as missionaries pick up for two years, leave their families and don't date, to go out and preach the gospel. Supposedly she kept bringing up the whole girlfriend part of the situation and even brought up her very pretty daughter who was 23 and single... So the grandma this week is a match maker. All I gotta say is, Zach please don't get married in Chile! We want you to come back to America and live with us in Utah. Also we want you to finish your mission before you get married. Turns out this grandma called her daughter and told her she was with the Mormon missionaries and they are returning on Thursday to teach the daughter also. How exciting right? What could be more exciting about this visit? They walked away with 8 heads of lettuce from her garden. So I guess it is a week of salad to lose all that extra weight he has gained (a whole 2 lb).