Zaida goes to the Temple and The "Bell-Lap"

Zaida's baptism one year ago

Zaida goes to the Temple - July 24, 2010

Santiago, Chile Temple

We had a special notice on Friday night around 10:30 that my convert from Estero Viejo in El Belloto was going to the temple with the ward and we were invited to go with them. It was a really special experience to be able to go to the temple again and be able to see one of the people I found there as well. Zaida told me that she hasnt missed going to church since she was baptized and that it was the third time that she had gone to the temple. Before she had gone alone to do baptisms in the temple. It was awesome to be able to see her progress. The bishop, Hno. Muñoz, and his family also went and it was fun to be able to catch up with them. Hma. Muñoz was the person who accompanied Zaida through the temple. We ran into other friends while at the temple.

Pablo and Hermano Miranda from Limarí

Hermana Honores
(my first mamita in the mission when I was in Limarí)

For lunch, Elder Saldivar and I went to a grocery store to find an ATM and ran into some elders from the Santiago East mission who were shopping for groceries. We asked them if they knew where any american restaurants were close by. They told us that about 10 minutes away there was a McDonald's and a Pizza Hut. We went to both :) haha. It was the first time that I had had McDonald's in almost 2 years...since before I started the mission. It was so good!!!

Last Tuesday, we started a mini mission with some of the priests from the stake of Quilpué. I was assigned to be with a 17 year old from the ward of Quilpué Centro named Gabriel Ortiz. We got along really well and had a good time working together. There was another who went with my companion, Elder Saldivar, so that made four of us in the same pension. We were able to get more done with both companionships working the our branch. The mini mission ended on Thursday in the evening. During our time, Gabriel memorized "Our Purpose" as a missionary and helped teach principles of lessons and talked with a bunch of people in the street and in their houses.

mini mission. my comp Gabriel Ortiz
from the quilpué centro ward
me, Gabriel, Alvaro from Marga Marga & Saldivar

On Friday, we had my last mission conference. It was really weird to be the group to give the going home testimonies. There were so many of us (22) that they had to split us up into three groups throughout the conference to give our testimonies so that it wasnt an hour straight of listening to testimonies. I was the last one to go in the second group. We were asked to share a two minute experience that "tipifies" our mission and then share our testimony for another minute. Turns out that out of all 22 of us, I was the only one that got emotional during my experience and testimony. It started right off the bat too. I decided to talk about the logo of the mission that says "convertir familias" or convert families and how wonderful it is to see a man kneel down with his wife and children to ask God for the first time in their lives to bless their family and to help them to know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored. That has been the biggest blessing that I have seen during my mission and was able to see it a lot with the Urrutia Family. I know that the mission has helped me to know what I want for my family and even more, I now know how to get it through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was interesting to hear in the conference that the structure of the mission will be changing. There will no longer be conferences every month and interviews every change (6 weeks) but both will occur every 3 months. We were also the last group of missionaries that are going to be able to give a going home testimony. There is also a new way of teaching that will be starting in May 2011 that will help missionaries teach to the needs of the people. We are starting it now to be able to be ready and used to the system for when the new missionaries come in from the MTC next spring. We were also given new cell phones that allow all of us to be able to call investigators and members of the ward as well as other missionaries. In the past only the zone leaders had their phones open to call other people that werent missionaries. That will be so nice now in Los Aromos. It was hard for me to get used to not having a phone to call people when I got here. After the conference was over, President called those who were leaving into a room and asked us if we knew what happened in the last lap of a race, or what the lap was called. Someone said, "bell-lap." President Gillespie then talked about how the runners in the race run even faster when they hear the bell because they know that the race is coming to a close. As he said that, he pulled out from his suit pocket a little bag full of little bells. He told us that we were now in our own "bell-lap" and that now was the time to "run faster" than we have so that we finish "the race" strong. I have the bell attached to my backpack to let me remember that message every step I take. All of my mission companions still in Chile
(except Davila & Miranda who are in the North) Saldivar, Tensmeyer, Allenbach, Millar & Watkins

Yesterday, (Sunday), we had lunch with the Parada Family. They made a whole bunch of grilled chicken that was really good. On Monday night, the grandma, who when I first got here was kind of against us and isnt a member of the church, asked us for a health blessing and told my companion during a family home evening that he had with them during the mini mission that the only reason that she has for why she doesnt get baptized is because she cant stop smoking. In the afternoon we went to Marga Marga, where Elder Owen and Elder Pitcher are, to do a baptismal interview.
It turned out to be a really busy week and we were able to see progress in the branch. The Gonzalez Vega family is all better now and the mom and youngest daughter came to church yesterday and they signed up to give us lunch on Tuesday and then have a lesson in the evening. The mom asked us to forgive them for not being able to see us for the past month but that they were going to "ponerse las pilas" and have us come over more often now. Thank you to those of you who have had this family in your prayers. :)
Well that is about it for this week. Have a great week and talk to you all in August (next week).
Chao-- Elder Jaren E. Nelson