Where's Elder Hamilton????? I will give you a clue, he is wearing glasses

The whole mission at the conference with Elder Robbins.

Hi family

I am glad to hear that things are going good. I am doing really great here. We had interviews with the president in the house this week. They were really great. I always love meeting the the president and talking with him. He is really great and always really supportive. 

Not much is happening haha I dont know what to write. I feel like everything is the same each week. We have been really happy because we have seen a lot of progress with some less active members who have started going to church again. That has been really great. We also could find some new people to start teaching this week and we hope that they will start to progress. I am really happy with the work of the word here. The leaders really want to start working with us so we are trying to get more of the members excited about working. The members here are really great. There aren´t a lot of members but they are great people that want to help. It isnt very hard to find people to come with us to lessions. We have 2 boys that are getting ready to go on their missions so they are leaving with us. Also our missionary leader and the elders president is really great to come with us. That is really nice because a lot of times it is hard to find people to come with us. Things are going really great with my companion and the area. We are learning a lot togethers and I have seen great changes in my life and in his. That is a part really important to the mission, learning. We are constantly learning whether it be knowledge or our atitude. I have felt a lot of changes in my life for the better and it is so great to be so focused and in tune with the spirit to make these changes. I love the studies that we have each morning. I am learning so much about the gospel. We are all reading about the teachings of president smith, and I have loved reading his experiences in his life and learning from him. 

I am sorry I dont have much to say today I love you all so much. Hope everyone is enjoying the world cup. I have never hearn this much about the world cup in my life. haha. In 2010 I dont remember hearing anything about it. 

I love you all

Les amo

Elder Hamilton

PS We are going to play soccer today Yipee!! :(

Let the Holy Spirit Guide

HI everyone

This week went well. We couldnt find a ton of our investigators and we are working on finding new ones but I am happy like always. We were able to work with a lot of less actives which was really great and this sunday 4 less actives went to church. We were really excited for an investigator that we were going to put a baptism date but then he told us that he was a member but thats fine. he is excited to participate more in the church. he got baptised when he was 8 and then his family moved so they didnt have a church to go to so they started asisting another church. There are a lot of less actives here in chile so we have a lot of work trying to help them get back into the church. 

This week we had the meeting with Elder Robbins from the 70. I absolutely loved it. It was so great. I went into the meeting with questions in my head for my area and my life and every one of the questions were answered. He just did a question answer session and it was great to see that through the questions that others asked God answered my prayers. he talked a lot about the spirit and how we can feel the spirit more in our lives. That is something that I have been working on in my life. I want to hear the spirit more and then act. I had a really great experience this week with that. We were working with the elders quorum president and our lider missional. We were visiting some elders in the ward and it was pooring raining. (I was so happy that even our leaders would leave in the rain with us) We felt like we needed to go and visit a sister that had been a little sick. So after we had passed for all of the elders we went to her house. Right when I was going to knock on her door she opened the door almost crying. She let us in and told us that she didnt have any power and we saw that water was leaking from the roof all in her apartment. We were able to help here so that she could have power again the clean up a little. It was so great to have that experience where clearly the spirit was guiding us. I am so grateful that we can have the spirit so that we can serve others. 

It is so wierd that it is getting so cold. The nights have been fine with three blanks and warm clothes. I feel so excited because I feel like christmas is coming and then I remember that it isnt coming haha. I will still listen to christmas music and look at my lights if I really want to haha. Things are good. Hard sometimes but good. Thanks for all of your love and advice. I love each and every one of you. 

Les Amo

Elder hamilton

 This is a new Elder in the mission named Elder Hamilton (no answer to my questions of where he was from- another mission mysteryCH)

 Conference with Elder Robbins

mucho mucho lluvia

 mucho mucho lluvia!!

(I hope this is an umbrella they found on the road :) )

Hi everyone

This week was a little hard to be honest. There was a lot of rain and wind which was really wet.haha It doesnt rain a ton here usually so the people werent used to so much rain and they all went hiding in their houses and didnt want to talk to anyone so that meant that we spent more time outside in the rain which stunk but thats fine. It is just another part of the mission. I didnt have changes I still am here with my companion. Every companionship in the district had changes but mine so we have a lot of new people which is good. I actually know some of the new people from other areas so that is good. I was really sick this last weekend with fever, pains, chills, stomach problems, and everything that comes with the flu. So saturday and sunday were a little harder. Sunday the mission nurse had me sleep for a few hours and after that I have felt much better. Still today I am just resting until we start working tonight. Things with my companion are fine. There are better moments and worse. it is hard when he doesnt have a ton of excitement to be out in the rain or at night and just wants to go back to the house. But we are working on that. I really try to be as obedient as I can because I know that that is what is going to bring the miracles and what has brought the miracles that I have seen. I have learned a lot from him which is really good. i just am trying to figure out how I want work better with a companion that has a diferent level of excitement and disire to be obedient and for the work. So if anyone has advice let me know. 

We are working with great people and have found new people this week. It is hard because everyone only has one day in the week that they want to meet or that they can with their work. Work here is a little different and their schedule is hard sometimes. But hopefully we can find our investigators this week. I am really excited for this week because Elder Robbins from the 70 is coming tomorrow and we have a meeting with him as a mission. I am excited to hear from him. I will let you know how it goes. 

Yes it is getting really cold here. It isnt as cold as utah of course but what stinks is that it is cold in the houses too because they dont have heating. Sometimes in out house it is colder than it is outside. but i just use a lot of blankets and hoodies. haha. I am glad everyone is enjoying your summer I am excited to hear all about it. I can see a little snow in the mountains which is great. I really like seeing that. I actually missed the snow. I know that is a shock. 

I love you so much. Sorry not much to say this week. I am good and happy like always. I have learned that happiness is a choice and it doesnt matter what are your circumstances. That is something that i have been working on in my mission. 

I love you all so much

Les amo

Elder Hamilton

 Snow on the mountains.  

(Remember that last year Tynan didn't arrive in Chile until Mid Aug, or Mid Feb as we would see it. He really only had about a month of "winter" there) CH

 We had a BBQ

 Drying out

Winter is here!

 The District

Happy Birthday Elder R.

Hello

I am doing really great. I am a little sick this week which stinks. But still I am doing good. I just have a cold. The runny nose is the worst. But thats what happens when we enter winter. It is getting a lot colder in the nights so I am starting to wear my coat and everything. But things are going good. This week we will have the chance to change areas but I dont think that we are going to change I think we will be together for another change. 

I have learned a lot thing change about patience and how to help other people. Things have been hard sometimes with my companion but We have strengthened our relacionship and we both have learned a lot and made changes to help the other. It is something that always happenes. every companion is different so I have learned new things from them all. It has really helped me learn how to get a long with others. I have learned that the thing most important is talking. If you dont talk about things they never are going to change and you are going to be frustrated and have a hard relationship for a long time. So we have talked a lot. At the beginning he didnt every really want to talk about things that were bugging him but through changes that he made and changes that I made we started working together better and better. It has been a great learning experence. and I am so happy because I have seen him grow and change a lot these 6 weeks. He is a lot more excited to work and everything. 

Things are going really good. This week we couldnt find a lot of our investigators so that was a little hard but talked with a lot of less actives. It can be a little frustrating when you work with people for a time and they dont fulfill with their promises or dont go to church. I have learned a lot about free agency. To be honest we can only do so much and then there is nothing more that we can do. It is their decision what they do. There are times when I feel like it would be better if I could make them do what they need to do so that they can have the blessings of the gospel but that isnt right. I know what I need to do and I love being here helping the people see more of what they need to do but I cant force them to do antything. I am learning more and more about our responabilities here on the earth and with the church of jesus christ. They are big but if we can work everyday to fulfill them we ca n help so many people. I love that you are reading preach my gosple. I hope that everyone is doing that. It really is how the whole church needs to be run. 

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

I love you all so much

Elder Hamilton

(In conference Elder Ballard said

"I invite all members, regardless of your current calling or level of activity in the Church, to obtain a copy of Preach My Gospel.....Read it, study it, and then apply what you learn to help you understand how to bring souls to Christ through invitation and follow-up. "

I have been doing this and have been really impressed at the way the gospel is laid out within it.  I suggest using an electronic copy so you can easily click on the scriptures to read.) Cheryl

These shoes have seen some miles!

Starting to wear my second pair of shoes. The first ones are still in good condition.

(Ecco shoes are the best for mission CH)

Hi family

I am so glad to hear that all is well for you guys in your lives. This week went really well. This week we were doing something different. It is a stand. It is like a column that we set up that has a question on it like what is the purpose of life or how can I become a better person. It is something that the church is testing in our mission. So each week a different companionship has the stand and has to stand outside by the stand for 4 hours each day. The idea is that the people with have interest in the question and walk up and talk to us so we dont have to find them. So we arent aloud to talk to people first they have to show the interest. It was interesting and I can see how it can work to weed out all of the people who really wont have interest. We had like 15 people talk to us this last week. Some members, inactives, and people who werent members. So It will be interesting to see how that progresses. The missionary work is changing a lot in the world. There really isnt that much success in talking to people in the street or knocking on doors like before. We talk to people who said that before they didnt have to knock on very many doors in order to have a person let them in. We can knock on a lot of doors and not talk to anyone. But thats fine I will just keep knocking and talking. I am still loving what I am doing. Also this week I had a meeting with the president and all of the district leaders in the mission. I loved that so much. I learned a ton of stuff that I am excited to apply to my life and mission. I love how much I am learning. In the meeting we talked about setting goals and fulfilling them. I am working right now in making goals for my mission and life so that I can get the most out of my mission. 

Things are going good in my area, we are looking for new people to teach. We are teaching some great people but we always need more. There are some great members here so we have been able to have some family nights with their friends and neighbors. That is something I have seen in my mission. The promise from the general athorities is the truth. We dont need to worry about losing friends by sharing the gospel we will always be blessed when we do it even if they dont acept the gosple. I cant believe that you guys are starting summer. Please be safe and have fun. Swim a lot for me. haha. We are starting to have some cold times. This week it rained a few days which I actually liked. It was a little fun. It was another "wow Im in the mission" moments. haha. It should started getting colder more and more. I hate the cold still. Even though it is colder at home I still hate the cold. 

I am a little sick of soccer to be honest. And we havent even started the world cup. That is what everyone talks about here. I didnt know that there could be so many people who like a sport so much to talk about it literally all day. My companion loves it too haha. We haved heard what is going to happen durring the world cup. We have heard that durring that last one the missionaries couldnt be outside durring the matches but who knows. I am sure that they are going to tell us something. 

I love you all so much. I just cant say that enough. 

Les amo

Elder Hamilton

 FHE with Family (notice the Christmas tablecloth, he would have loved that)

 Meeting with District leaders- I love that he is in the front row CH

Through Baptism they become closer to God

Note- We are FINALLY coming up on Tynan's 1 year anniversary!! I am going to send him a box May 28, so that hopefully he will get it by July 2. If anyone would like to write him a letter and email it to me, I will include this in my box.
My email is
60disneyland@gmail.com
Letters are great because he can read them at leisure.
Cheryl


Hola 

This week was great like always. Life in the mission has its ups and downs but I think it is always great. I love having the spirit so strong in my life. 

This week I was able to do some interviews for baptisms. I have found that I really love doing that. It is so great because you get the opportunity to ask them about their faith and testimony. I have loved hearing about the stories in the peoples lives and the changes they have made in their lives with the gospel. The two interviews that I did yesterday were with two woman who have listened to the missionaries for some months and years. I asked one of them what was different about now and she shared with my about how right now she really felt it. She wasnt doing it for her parents or siblings but for her relation with god. The other woman has had a lot of hard times with her daughter, who doent talk to her mom much and treats her really badly. She explained that she was going to be baptised because now in her life through all of her chalenges she has seen the hand of god helping her and she knows that only through baptism can she get closer to god. I love hearing the stories that the people have in their lives and the church. 

Yesterday I finished one year of having gone through the temple. I cant believe that it was one year ago yesterday that I went to the temple with a lot of my family and had the opportunity to be closer to god. I love the temple so much. In utah we are so blessed to have so many temples. I am so happy that I have always lived within 5 or 10 minutes from the temple and now in provo we are going to have two temples. The temple is something so important in the church and I am so grateful that we have the priesthood restored on the earth to have these ordinances. I miss the temple so much but I am looking forward to finishing my mission by going to the temple in santiago. I will wait a little more that a year to do it but I know that it will be worth the wait. 

I am doing good and everything is going good with my companion and in my area. We are learning a lot and helping eachother. I am still working on helping the elders in my district with their excitement in the work but things are going good. I am so grateful that I have been raised with a desire to be obedient and it isnt that big of a decision for me. I am learning a lot about the example that we can be to the other people and how it can change them. The best way we can help people is by example. 

I love you all so much. Sorry  I dont have much to say today but I hope all is well. Make time to go to the temple this week and read your scriptures everyday. The best way we can show love to the lord is by obedience and our time. 

I love you

Les amo

Elder Hamilton

PS. I am sooooo excited today because we are going to dunkin donuts. I found out last week that there is one in the zone so we are going today!!! I am so excited and I think I am going to buy like 12 for this week. haha.

Finally got his easter bag May 9!

Hello family.

It was so great to talk to you all this week. Happy mothers day to all of the moms and future moms out there. This week went really well. It went by so fast just like all of the weeks. I am liking my area a lot. It is a lot smaller but it is great and there are great people members and non members that want to help us. Yesterday we had a baptism that was so great. It was with Marlen. It was so great to see her do that and take this step to be baptised. It was awesome because she told us that she was fasting for her baptism. That was such a showing of her faith in god. We were so happy for her. She was crying and after she said that she just felt clean and new. It is so awesome to help people do these things. I know that it isnt us that really does it, it is the spirit that does the work but I am so happy to see these changes in the people. She has 3 kids and she said that now she is hoping that they well start having some more interest and follow her example. We have some great other people that we are teaching but they all have their problems or dificulties. One woman, besabe, is so great and has a lot of faith right now but legally she has to leave every sunday and go to santiago to take her kids to see their dad. She is praying and looking for a way to change that so that she can go to church but still hasnt been able to find a way. 

Another thing that made me so happy today is that when I got to the computer today and looked at the announcements from the asistants I saw a picture of a baptism and guess who got baptised!!!! ...... ELIAS!!! After a long time and a long battle with smoking he was able to stop and get baptised. I would have loved to been there to see it but that isnt what is important to me. What is most important is that he took this step. And I have to thank all of you for your prayers for him. I know that even noah liam and ben were praying that he could stop smoking. I know that all of our prays helped him do it. 

So this week went really well. Now I am ready to go with another week. I cant believe that I have been here in this area for almost three weeks now. It goes so fast. I hope all is well with everyone at home. Know that I love you all and I love receiving your letters. I may not be able to respond to you all which i am so sorry for but Time in the mission is really short. I would love to spend time writting each of you but I cant do that. Know that I love you all so much friends, family, or who ever you are. Thank you for your prayers and support I couldnt do this without the help from god and I know that your prayers are helping me a lot. I love you

Les quiero muchísimo

Elder Hamilton

We had a great visit with Tynan on Mother's Day. Erin, Mark and I didn't have our lap tops and so we were not able to group Skype. (we were in Florida) So I had him on my iPad, Erin was face timing with Ryan and Megan, and Mark had Nathan on Skype. It was great to have all of the family talking together. We haven't been together since Dec. 2011.  Thank goodness for technology.  Also Tynan said they have the worst apt in the mission and so I am assuming some of the above pictures are of that. The swan one is hilarious.  Cheryl