Baptism Of Orlando

Baptism of Orlando

Hi Family

I had a great week. I loved it so much. I think saturday was one of the best days in my mission. We had our baptism for orlando. It was great because we were doing it with another baptism. A boy who turned 8 so there where a lot of people from the ward there and the youth too which was so great. It all went really well and he felt really great. Thensunday he received the spirit in church. We were really nervious because they got there late and we thought that he was going to miss the time to do it and have to wait for another week. But he made it and he came with his mom, dad, and two little sisters who are 7 and 5. His dad is activating in the church and his mom isnt a member. So that was the first time his mom and his two sisters had gone to church. She wanted to go before but was always so worried that her "earthquake" children would be to noisy and so we tried to explain a lot that it is fine and that it is important that they can go too. One of the girls, the one who is 5, wanted to go before and the other one didnt. After the sacrament meeting they were getting ready to leave but the primary presidency stoped them and invited them to primary so they stayed the whole time. And in the end the girls were so excited to go back next week. So now the mom is really content and we are hoping that her and the other daughter, she is 19, can get baptised soon. The hard thing is that they arent married but I think the more and more they are involved they are going to make the decision to get married. We have talked about it a few times. It is amazing that a conversation like that really isnt that akward haha. So we are really happy for them. We know that the whole family will really be blessed. He is going to receive the priesthood next week too! 

Then sunday the sisters in our ward had a baptism too and He wanted me to baptise him so that was fun and went well. We were a little nervious because we didnt know if the members would want to come back sunday night for the baptism but there were a lot of members. It is really great because the members are getting excited to help with the investigators at church and support them. 

We are alway looking for new investigators and this week that will really be a focus for us. But things are good and everything. 

I finally got my id for chile which was cool. I feel so official in chile now. But my picture is terrible!!!!! haha. Everyone was talking about how in photos for ids you cant smile. Like in passport and stuff. I was so confused because I am always smiling in my pictures for my passport and ids. So when we were taking the picture I was trying to look serious and I guess my serious look is more like drunk and mad look. haha but It doesnt matter. 

I love you all so so much and hope that you all have a great week this week. 

Pray always 

Les amo

Elder Hamilton

 Helping the sisters with their baptism

 Different kind of Spanish Book Of Mormons

 Cute lady from our ward!

It says-Because all the days are your days. Thanks for everything mom!!

hola Familia

No pictures this week.  He really spoils us!

hola Familia 

Espero que todo este bien en sus vidas.

I had a great week this week. I know that it was even better because the week before was a little harder for me and my companion. I have this thing that I always say to myself when I am having a hard day or week. I need to aprieciate the hard times because that is what makes the good times that much better in life. I really always am happy. I know sometimes I have hard days or hours but I dont think I can be to sad when I feel the spirit and I try as hard as I can. 

We are still working with elias to help him stop smoking. Yes it is frustrating because I just want to do it for him. I know that I have been blessed with great determination and I want to be able to give that to other people but I guess we will just keep trying to help him in whatever way we can. He is a great guy I and I really do love him so much so it is just sad to see someone that I care about choose other things. 

Our other investigador that is progressing a lot is orlando (shout out for erin in orlando florida. haha). He is doing so good and had his interview for his baptism this week. He will be getting baptised this saturday. We are really happy for him. I am so excited for him. This is the first person that I have visited since we started teaching him the first time and now this week he is going to get baptised. I am so happy that he is making this choice. We are all hoping that the rest of his family will follow in his footsteps after. He has a sister, that is going to come back here this week, and his mom that are not members and his dad is starting to be active again. I remember the first time we contacted his sister and visited their house. 

Yesterday we had a stake conference that was really great. It was a broadcast from salt lake for the stakes in the northern part of chile, like us and up. It was 10 here so it would have been 6 in the morning when they were starting in utah. I loved it and heard a lot of things that I really needed to here. There were two elders from the 70 that talked in spanish, the 2nd councilor of the primary and elder cook. It was really great. I love it when we get to hear from our leaders. I am looking forward for when we get to watch general conference in a month and a half. 

The weather here is still good. This week it was a little cooler which was awesome for us. It is really funny because all this time people have said that in feb and march it is so hot. Me and my companion are from places where it really is hot so really it isnt that hot here. Granted I am not walking around and up and down hills all day at home but it really isnt very hot. It reminds me a lot of the weather in california which is just another testamony that god really does know me and knows that I like this weather. 

(In response to me telling him that I was watching Ice Dancing CH)  It is funny because I always hear songs from ballroom comps here. I never reallized before how many songs are in spanish at ballroom comps. And I hear the ones in english. I always hear a good samba or chacha. Some times, like right now, I hear a rumba. I always miss dancing. I want to stand up and dance haha. 

I am doing really great. I am excited for this week! I hope that everyone has a great week. I love you all so much

Les amo

Elder Hamilton

I love the Church

You can tell there is not much rain here even though they are only about 30 min from the coast. The weather is beautiful right now. Around 70-75 and blue sky's every day

Hi Family

This week was good. It was a little hard but I am happy. I am learning more about how we really can make ourselves happy and it doesnt depend on our surroundings. We just had some problems with investigators and menos actives that was a little annoying. i knew coming on my mission that that would be one of the things that would be the hardest. letting other people choose for themselves isnt always easy to watch but I love know that we all have this ability to choose and so I can always choose the right even if others dont. It is sad because we know the blessings that they are missing in their lives. I am so happy that I have this testamony about the truth and that I can share it with others. I f they done acept it that is their decision but I know that I can stay happy and stay strong. Our investigator that smokes still is struggling with that. We had a menos active family tell us that they didnt want anything to do with the church yesterday. This happens almost everyday so that isnt new but we have been working with them for like 2 or 3 months so we are a little worried for them. 

But I am happy and excited for the new week. I am ready to work hard and find more people to teach. It isnt always easy, the mission and life, but it is always worth it when we are with christ. 

The youth went to efy this week and yesterday they bore their testamonies about their experiences. It made me think of how grateful I am for this church and for everything they do for the youth. Every young man and woman that got up there was sharing their testamony. It wasnt the testamony of their dad or brother or friend. It was the things that they have felt and experienced. It is through efy and other activities like that that we can have this testamony as youth and adults. I read a talk from conference this morning called Be ye Converted from this conference sunday morning. you should read it. I loved it. It talks about conversion and how it is a process in all of our lives. It doesnt matter if we have been obispo, missionary, primary teacher or whatever. We all have the responsability to convert ourselves everyday of our lives. 

I love the church and the spirit. I have felt a lot in my mission the spirit. Even in times that are so hard we can have the spirit if we are doing what is right. I dont know how I would be able to live and do this work if I didnt have the spirit with me always. Life is so much harder without the spirit and the gospel. 

I heard that the olimpics started. it doesnt seem to be huge here but still I have heard a little. Everyone here is excited for the world cup for soccor. I have heard a lot of that and it is like 3 or 4 months away. Before my mission I didnt really know it existed haha. 

I love you all so much and hope that you all have a great week. Do something this week to strengthen your relation with our heavenly father. 

Les amo 

Elder Hamilton

 Chile has 6 athletes in the Olympics

 This says All Together Quilpue

Dirt on my face- we were doing service

Staying in Quilpue!

Hey- Erin met a group of girls who are working at WDW on the college program that know Tynan from either Timpview or BYU. They said they read his blog so here is a shout-out to you!. 

Good luck working  (Cheryl)

 I think this is the gas truck that plays "It's a small world" (Cheryl)

We have been living out of our bedroom the last 3 days because the sister that owns the house is changing the floor so we dont have a lot of space. The kitchen and everything is in our room. We are looking forward to moving out into the rest of the house today. 

Hi Mom! 

Yay 7 Months. I really cant believe it. Even though you all have said that it has been a little slow it has been going by so fast for me. I think when you can get out of bed and walk around it will be better and go faster. 

The big news of the week is.....

Nothing happened. I am still here in paso pondo in quilpue. I am happy and excited to be here another change and to finish training Elder Huertas. We are excited and hoping to have at least two baptisms this month. Things are going good. I still really like my area and I love the members so much. They are so great. I sent some pictures with the members because I took a few in case I left. haha. I cant believe we are one month into 2014. Time is really so short it is so weird but I am happy that I am doing things that are keeping me busy. Im not going to lie sometimes I wish I could have one night to watch cars or toy story 3 or some other movie. haha. But I will stick to what I am doing and to watching Jose smith: profeta de la restauracion y los testamentos. I will have plenty of time to catch up on movies in my life. 

This week we had a funny experience. We were leaving our last appointment on Saturday and we were walking near the house of a member. All of the sudden her dog recognized us and was running aside us. We called her and she said that they werent home but it was fine because the dog will just go back to the house. So we kept walking and the dog followed us. So a little longer we called again and she said that it is fine at one point the dog will leave us and go home. Finally we got to our house which is a little far from the members house so we called again and she said that she couldnt believe that she followed us for so long and she didnt think she could find her way back. So we talked to the sister who lives in front of us and told her what was happening and asked if the dog could stay in the yard for the night and so thats what we did. It was so random and funny that the dog recognized us. I guess I shouldnt be too surprised because we are always in white shirts and dark pants. At one point my companion said maybe there is a reason the dog is following us. When he said that I got this feeling like really there was a reason for that. Who really knows but It was a cool experience. 

I am sorry to hear about Peiter. I am hoping and praying that things are ok and that he will continue to get better. 

I love you all so much and I love to hear from you each week. 

I love you

Les amo

Elder Hamilton

Below are pictures of the families