Week 45: Adventures of smoking spiritual cigarettes

I am posting Zachs letter this week, just because it was a shorter one and I love to read his words sometimes...

"What a crazy week. Can I just say that I haven't been so exhausted! Today for p day we went on a hike for about 5 hours round trip. We hiked up to these cool radio towers that are who knows how many miles but super far away. They over look all of my sector and from the top we could see the ocean. It was a clear blue day and I felt great overlooking the little paradise I've been living in for 6 months. I am 100% sure that I am leaving this coming cambio. I hope that I don't cry to much leaving all my converts and friends I've made here. It will be hard. I will be working super hard this week to make the best of it.

Spiritual Cigarettes:

The other elders are teaching a lady who is gold. She wants to get baptized and is already but only has a few problems. One of them is an addiction to cigarettes. I suggested an idea my bishop, bishop wride did with his investigator. So what we did was we took one of her cigarette boxes that was empty and decorated the outside with pictures of Christ and stuffed the box full of scriptures. I had the honor of creating the box since it was my suggestion and she now has a box of spiritual cigarettes. We rolled the inspirational scriptures up like cigarets so when she has the desire to smoke she just pulls out her new ones and reads. Cool huh? She will be baptized very soon.

Donuts And The Atonement:

We made over 90 donuts for an activity that we revolved around the atonement. We had all of our investigators show up with some people from the ward in total there were 40 people. What we did was one elder would come into the room where everyone was and he would be holding a thing of delicious donuts. He would ask who wants a donut.... When someone would take one he would then ask ME to do 5 push ups. Then I would proceed to do 5 push ups. About 10 people in people stopped asking for donuts but I would still do 5 push-ups for them. Even though they did not except the donut and the payment I did which was 5 push ups. I did over 200 push ups!!! My arms are dead. The point of the message was to show that not all of us except the sacrifice of the lord but he did pay the sacrifice for all of us. It was a great example. I learned and grew a little bit closer to Jesus Christ that day.

Love you all,

Elder Van Pelt

P.S.

Keep Javier in your prayers he is progressing for baptism. He is wanting to be baptized but still has fear of being reject of his family."

Week 44: Adventures of the famous American singer

Hello friends and family!

I hope you all are having an awesome week, and I hope this update makes it even awesome-er. 

Well we were able to talk to Zach for mothers day as everyone knows, it really was such a blessing to see his sweet face again. It is hard to explain how much a person can change, when they are already good and don't need to change. He has become just a little tiny Chilean angel. He told us about his adventures, girls he has been writing (wink wink), and all of the fun, spiritual experiences he is having. He was at a members house using their computer to skype with us and he was able to see his two little nieces and how much they have grown. Tegan was actually able to say "hello" to him and give the screen a kiss, which is as cute as it sounds. His birthday was the day before and he appreciated all the sweet messages and packages he received, he felt the love from OOtah.

This last week Zach and his 3 house mates had a pizza competition, being that whomever found the most investigators for the day would have to buy pizza. Getting a "new investigator" only counts if you enter the house, teach them something, pray and then set up another day to stop by. Zach and his companion got 5 investigators and obviously kicked butt. They got some yummy victory pizza, but the real blessing was finding the 5 people and sharing such an important message with them.

 Zach and Elder Washburn went on exchanges this week, and Zachs companion went on an exchange with another elder. Zach was actually able to have a pretty special lesson with a family that Elder Washburn had been teaching recently. It was the home of a single mom and her two sons. The lesson brought the spirit to their home and when they invited them to church the next day, they accepted. They also gave the mom her own Book of Mormon, to which her reaction was crying. The spirit definitely testified of the truthfulness of the elders words.

Here is your laughy feel goods for the week:

I thought this was hilarious actually. Zach and his companion ended up on a corner next to a restaurant one day. They walked into the restaurant and his companion introduced Zach to the waiter as a singer who is pretty well known in the United States, and asked if he could sing for them all. So there is little Zachy, the famous American singer, who got up and sang I know that my redeemer lives, which I am sure testified to many. Everyone just stopped eating and looked/listened to Zach. That is one way to contact :) Anyways, he was able to get the waiter in contact with some elders who are in his area, so its a possibility that they made a huge difference there in that restaurant.

Zachs message for this week was to work and serve others if you are ever feeling down. If you are ever confused, pray to God for help, even if its hard to feel his love and seems he isn't listening, he is. Don't take my word for it though, try it for yourself, the spirit will testify to you. Put your faith in the Lord and know that you have a father in heaven who knows and loves you perfectly.

Hasta luego!!

Week 43: Adventures of a prayer in the cold

"This last week was an interesting one. I have some great stories to tell and hope that you all enjoy my email and think of opportunitys and looking for the moments when god is watching over us.



6 Miracles Coming From Korea:


"This week I had an opportunity to work with a very great elder named Elder Lee. He is the very first south korean to serve in all of chile. He is great and we had an amazing day. We had 6 hours to work together so we made it a goal to have 6 miracles. 1 every single hour.

We started our day and offered a prayer to god asking for 6 miracles every hour. Goes to show every hour we had a new miracle. At the end of the day though we were visiting our golden family. They are just so amazing! But when we got there they had desires to not progress. Being a missionary this is the worst thing you can hear. For about 15 minutes we talked with them and tryed teaching them about the things they needed to know but as the holy spirit came into the lesson more and more as elder lee and I taught they were slowing feeling the holy ghost. I offered during that lesson the most powerful testimony I have ever given and as I spoke I felt the holy ghost confirm that my words were true. I felt like nephi almost when he shocked his brothers. Luckily they didnt get shocked but maybe that would have knocked some sense into them to keep progressing towards baptism and to an eternal family.

I testify that the holy spirit will testify and confirm the truth. When this experiance occured I gained a new testimony and more knowledge of the truth built up in my spiritual bank account of the truthfulness of the gospel and church on the earth today.


A Prayer In The Cold:


It was a cold night of 100% tracting on the streets and houses. We got into a few but the lessons didnt go well as far as investagators progressing.

My companion and I were walking home and our house was about 30 minutes away. I felt a little tired and asked god if he could help us out maybe. I have recently heard stories of missionarys getting rides to there houses by strangers. Well I asked for someone.... It was super cold and I didnt have a jacket. Did I mention all the street lights werent working so we were in the dark.

1 minute goes about and a taxi drove up. He told us to get in. I immediatley felt a warmth come to my heart and a small feeling of love. I knew my heavenly father is looking out for me. The taxi driver ended up being a member in another ward.


In conclusion:

Thanks for all of the happy birthday wishes. Its weird being 19 years old now but im happy. We made brownies and had used the chocolate frosting that I got from a package.

Love you all so much. Look and pray for gods help in your life and I know that he will bless you!


Elder Van Pelt"

Week 42: Adventures of burning down a house

Super busy couple of weeks guys! Sorry it has taken me so long to get anything posted, hope you aren't angry :) I am going to post Zachs letters for this week and next, so sit back, relax, and enjoy the words from Elder Van Pelts very own keyboard!


"Hey guys whats going on? This week has been very crazy and a lot happened. Just to let you know the Sister missionarys in our mission who got robbed are fine. At least as far as I know. We havent gotten exactly true news from what happened to them. There has been rumors and in the chileno news that one of them was violated. Im not sure if that is true. Be sure to keep her in your prayers and all the missionarys during this time and especially our mission. Everyone is heart broken. The work must go on!

Confounded Before Men.

This last tuesday we went to a future investagator who we had contacted in the street about 2 days before tuesday. She lived in a dirty not well taken care of appartment. We knocked on the door and we were immedietly let in. The room was blasting with loud rock music. Sitting around a dinner table were three men and the women that we had set a day to come back and teach. I knew immedietly that this wouldnt be a normal lesson.

We sat down and one man ( I thought he was drunk the whole time but wasnt, I think he killed to many brain cells from drugs or something.) Pulled out his bible and said "Alright mormons lets go" He proceded with asking about questions about the authority on the earth and the book of mormon and the restauration. He acted like he was smart and knew what he was doing but really it was funny how he was bible bashing or trying to deny that our doctrine wasnt true.

It was a very inspiring moment for me teaching and answering questions because I have never really been in a situation like this before. I trusted in the holy ghost and answered every question along with my companion. He would respond to a question and I would testify and the I would respond and then he would testify and after every time we answered and testifyed there was a long pause and they had to think of a new question to come up with. It was as if we were fighting lions, they had no idea what to do. We ended up leaving and I felt a great calmness come to my heart as I prayed for thanks for the holy ghost accompaning me during that lesson. I really wittnessed that we as missionarys will not be confounded before men.


We Will Burn Your House Down?

I contacted a recently lady and she expressed how she didnt want to let us in because she had a bad experience with passed missionarys. I guess what happened supposedly was that 2 missionarys about a year ago or so told her that if she didnt get baptized they would burn her house down... I dont know how true that was but I testified of our messege and put on a happy face. She said come back wednesday.

Well we went wednesday and she let us right in. We taught here the restoration and closed the lesson with presenting her with the book of mormon. After this she started to cry. She expressed that she was going through a devorce and that we had helped her. I felt very happy and a sweet peace come to my mind that really im doing alright as a missionary. She expressed how she would read the book of mormon and wanted us to come back.


Javier

We are teaching a members (lise is her name) boy friend named javier. He has a baptisamal date set for the 30th. Our last lesson was about joseph smith and the restoration. Well you could imagine him coming from a catholic and evangelical back ground that he would have lots of doubts. He did. We taught him in the house of lise and taught him how he could read the book of mormon. He really liked that. We then shared the restoration video. After the video I asked him how he felt. He responded by saying " I dont feel anything" I bore a testimony strongly to him and after that my companion followed by sharing his own personal testimony. There was about 20 seconds of no one talking and you knew that he could feel the spirit at that time. Lise then shared with Javier her testimony and I believe she had never actually shared her testimony because she was scared of what he might say. She took a shot and as she testified. The spirit filled the room with a love and joy that I will never forget... She then stopped, and proceeded to say" I want to spend my life in the gospel with you, I know it is true" She then cried. He wrapped her up in his arms and said I will read the book of mormon, I want to know its true.

Cool story huh? It was like a cool mormon romance movie or something. It was very special to be there as a representative of christ watching everything un fold.


Conclusion:

I know the church is true. The people arent perfect but the gospel and all of the convenants and ordanences we can have are perfect. Its amazing to be apart of this great work.

Concerning Skype I will be on at about 6pm to about 7:30pm my time. We only have 40 minutes to skype so write some questions out on a paper so we can get started right away. Love you all and Ill see you sunday.

Le quiero muchísimo y mis oraciones es siempre  dedicaba a ustedes. Madre tenga una increible dia de madre. Cual quier cosa!


Elder Van Pelt"