Monday, September 22, 2014

Life in the Office

 Office BBQ for the Chile Independence Day Sept 18
Hello all
Another week has past and here we all are again. I hope that everyone is found healthy and happy. I had a fun week this week. It was another busy week like always but I love that. This week we had a fun day on the 18 because the 18 of september is the independence day in chile. So party. haha. On wednesday we had an activity in the branch with empanadas, choripan (that is the best), Kabobs, and this tradicional chilean drink. It was fun and really great to get to know some more of the branch and meet some less actives that we hadnt met yet. On  thursday it was the actual holiday. In the office we did a bbq which was so great and a lot of fun. It was a little hard on thursday and friday because everything was closed so we couldnt pay any of the bills we have to pay so we had to do what we could in the office. It is so nice when we can just pay the bills on the computer. Generally we can do that but not with everything we have to do. 
On wednesday we had a conference with the president and his wife. It was so so awesome. I always love it when we have conferences with them. I always hear things that I need to hear and get answers to my prayers. They talked a lot about faith and courage in our lives. It is so important that we have these attributes of christ in our lives. As missionaries and as people everyday we need to be brave and live 100% how christ espects us to live in every cirunstance. I loved what I heard and heard a lot of things that I need to do to be better with those things. That is something that I love about the mission that I am going to apply to my life, I am always looking for ways that I can be better. There are a ton of things that I have to work on believe me but It is so great to look back and see the progress Ï have had. There are some times when before my mission I thought that all of the m,issionaries were perfect. I then became a missionary and realized that That isnt how it is. Then In my mission sometimes I think that I need to be perfect by the time I finish my mission but that isnt how it is either. I just love seeing progress and change for the good. 
Speaking of progress. I keep learning new things in the office and keep loving what I am doing it is really fun and I am learning a ton. In our area we are still looking for some new investigators. It is a little hard because we are only up there for like 4 hours each day but we are excited to keep doing more. We have a goal to talk to more people each day so that we can find some new people. 

I am doing really well and am happy and healthy. I hope that you all have a great week. I love you all so so much. 
Les quiero
Elder Hamilton



 They call this my "cube"
The other elders serving in our branch

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Photos of presentation

I found these photos after I posted his letter. These were on his mission blog. The sweet mission pres. wife always takes lots of shots. Was happy to see these of him while he was giving his presentation.



Every week is great as a missionary!

Hi everyone
This week was another great week. I am finding that generally every week is great as a missionary. There are always ups and downs but it in the end it is all good. I am staying really really busy so it goes by soo soooo fast. I can not believe that it is saturday again. The time is going by so fast and I only hope I can learn everything I need to from my companion before he gets change. Things are going good and I am learning a ton of stuff in the office. More and more it is like a puzzle everything is interconnected somehow. So It is great to understand more and more what I am doing and how to do it. There are some stuff that I understand and can do without much help but I am so happy that he is still here and is so great to help me learn because there is a lot that I still have to learn. It is really fun being in the office the other missionaries that are there are great and we are always laughing, smiling, and helping eachother when they get a little stuck in their work. It is reallly interesting and new because I have a lot more communication with the president which is something that I always have like. He is in the office on mondays almost the whole day and then during the week he only goes to the office when he needs something or has an interview but we also communicate through email in the office. It is fun to work more with him and his wife right now. I told you a little bit about the married couple that is serving in the office too. They are so funny and to be honest remind me a lot of mom and dad. The things they say and how they act together sometimes is just like you guys haha. 

In our area we were able to find some new investigators and we are hoping that this weekend we will also be able to find some more. This next week is the 18 of september. That is a huge holiday here it is like their 4th of july. So it will be interesting to see who will receive us. But it is ok we will work hard just the same. There is always a lot of food so I am really excited for that. haha It was really fun this last year so I think it will be a good week. WE do go to the church in our area. It is a branch. They are good. They dont have a lot of confidence in the missionaries because of bad experiences with other missionaries before but we are working to show them that we are obedient and are working hard. Our mission leader is really great. He and other people are always willing to come with us to lessions which is a great help. It is a small branch. This last week we had 50 the week before we had like 40. jHere in chile they are known for always being late. If an activity is at 5 that really means that they will start setting up at 5 and the activity will start at 5:30 or 6. It sometimes is the same with the church meetings. They are even at 10 not 9 and still it is hard for some people. So generally at the end of the meeting there are more people. This last week we changed time here so we are now another hour behind. I like it because it is lighter at night. 

Everything is going really well here. Time keeps going good and really fast. I cant believe we are in september. Happy birthday Nathan!!!! 
I love you all. Now is the time to send letters. I get them way faster in the office. 

Les quiero
Elder Hamilton

 I can see the ocean again from my area!!
Our apartment is the storage place for the mission

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Life in the Office

Elder Arbon from Springville UT


Hi everyone
This week flew by the fastest of any other week in the mission. We are always so busy in the office and in our area that we didnt have much time for anything else. 
This week was good. In the office we were getting ready for a reunion with all of the zone leaders in the mission that they do each month. Sothursday night we were getting everything ready in the church and office until like 10:45 so we got to bed a little late that night. First late night in a long time and we had permition haha. It was a little wierd. Then friday we had the meeting with the leaders. We just had to get all of the chairs and tables ready and the lunch, KFC. Then I gave a short presentation about how we need to all be ready for emergencies with our emergency fund, water, and food. It was fun. I remember now how much I love making powerpoint presentations and giving them. Its a good thing that I always practiced with mom and dad whenever I wanted something. ((Tynan used to always make us presentations when he wanted something- a  dog, a trip to Disneyland, etc. He is very good at it haha, but never got the dog.CH))The president said that it looked like I had been in the office for a long time in my presentation. That was all really fun. On wednesday night right in front of our house there was a little firework show which was little but really cool to see. In our area we are actually having a baptism today. It is a little girl named Matilda. All of her family are members and she now is going to get baptised too. We are looking for more people to teach. It is a little hard because we arent up in our area for a ton of time but we will be blessed for all of our work. 
I am so happy to hear about Grandma and Grandpa Andrew. That is so so so cool. They are such great examples of the willingnes to serve the lord always. ((My parents have been serving their 5th mission in Brazil in the Receife Temple.  They were mission pres. on their first mission. Last week they were asked to be mission pres. again in San Paulo East. The pres. there had a visa issue and had to come home. CH))
So you asked about our food now. Monday through friday we eat in the office so we have to prepare our own food. My companion elder Arbon loves cooking so he cooks food for everyone in the office so we are really lucky for that right now. For dinner we just make something at the house at night if we are hungry. On Saturday it is pday so we also eat our own food. And sunday we eat with members. We to get more money because we have to provide all of our food. 
So I have to worry about paying the rent, the water, gas, and light. Also I have to make sure that all the missionaries have their money for the month. I also have to do all the paperwork for the president and his wifes cards from the church. Anything that is bought with the churches money for the mission I have to do the paperwork for it. There is more and more that I am learning each day so I will keep explaining as I go. haha Also as office workers we have to help set up for reunions and anything else that the president needs done. haha. 
In our apt. We live alone only us two. There are 4 office elders so two apts for the office elders. They are bigger apts because when old missionaries leave and when new missionaries get to the mission they have to spend a night in our houses. It is really nice with a lot of space. It is here in downtown viña so it is a little far from where we have to work but I love the apt. 
Right now we have two financial secretaries because my companion is training me. After, I will be the only one. There are three different responsabilities in the office. Financial sec., Registrator, and the secretary of the mission. There is always someone training. Right now my companion. Next the secretary so there will be 2 and I will be companions with the registrator. Then the registrator will train and I will be companions with the secretary. Then my last change in the office I will be training. So I will be changing companions for the next 4 changes. It is a little confusing but I hope you could understand a little. 
I love you all so much thanks for all you guys do for me. Have a great week!!! 
Les quiero
Elder Hamilton
 Wouldn't we a lll love to know why the couch is upside down. Those mission questions we never have answered haha.