January 28, 2013

I'm sorry that I have not been uploading photos to send to you but it's because I have had really brutal internet here. I have tried but it was just too slow to get anything up onto the website.

You mentioned that dad was looking at gettting a gym membership - that is probably a really good option. It is really easy to just not do it when you are at home. I am really findng that to be true here, as it is way easier to just read than find the motivation to get up and start doing exercise immediately. Interestingly though, your level of physical fitness impacts your ability to feel the spirit. That is why the word of wisdom is so important.

I really want you guys to check out this talk that I found reading in an Ensign from Feb 2005. (http://tinyurl.com/bbk2qkh). It talked about 7 things that we can do to share the gospel more easily. I am going to list them, but I encourage you to read the article because it is really well done.

1. We cannot predict who will be interested

2. Friendship is not a prerequesite for sharing the gospel

3. Despite not being very experienced we can count on the missionaries to teach well

4. Inviting others to help serve allows them to feel the spirit

5. Having success in sharing the gospel is gained by sharing the gospel, not by how the person progresses

6. We need to set deadlines

7. We can expect to recieve miracles when we are doing what we are commanded

I hope this helps you a little bit as you had mentioned you're not very good for giving references to the missionaries.

Oh, we went and climbed a little mountain (actually it was pretty big) outside of Chañaral and I will send you photos next week including a picture of my hand because I fell and cut it open. I seem to always have some sort of injury with my hands. (I hit my thumb with a hammer a week and a half ago and it is all black underneath the fingernail. I have a photo.)

I have kind of been unable to find a lot of weird cultural facts lately. Everything has just become so normal now that things just don't seem to stick out like they used to. This is weird - the most popular place to buy pop and bread and stuff is like a little shop that someone set up in what should be their livingroom. It's a place that I would never even enter back in Canada.

I love you guys.

Jord


Summary of audio clip:
As mentioned above, I am in Chañaral  - we came yesterday for interviews with the president. It was interesting - we talked about our investigators, the sector and some things I've wondered about in the mission over the last 3 months. We mostly focused on finding your place in the mission, or What do you bring to the mission? That was an interesting conversation - we talked about the mission as well as after the mission.

This week one of our best investigators, Orlando, came to church. He's the one I mentioned last week, from Columbia who knows lots about the Bible. We had a great discussion with him last Saturday. We intended to teach the whole plan of salvation. We started with the pre-earth life, talked a little bit about Adam and he started asking a lot of questions which we answered. Then instead of continuing with the lesson, we stopped. Both of us felt prompted to just invite him to church and leave, which we did. He did come to church and it was super sweet.  We weren't sure what to expect, but it was really cool.

One of the sector's in my district is having lots of success currently - they had 3 investigators to church last week. They're in my district so I'm really happy about that. I always care, but now even more.

Today was my first real P day in this sector where we got to go and do an activity - climbing the "mountain" that I mentioned in my email.

This week was pretty routine so I don't have too much else to say about it. I'm understanding my companion better now - not language, that was fine, but more as a person. That makes it better now.

Random thought - we're getting tired of pasta every day (they are having to do their own cooking).

I have to go, they're all waiting for me. Love you guys.
Ciao, Jord