Elder Amezquita Two Years is Over

So I took my companion to Vina today so he can go home.  It was hard to say good-bye. He is the companion I have been with the longest. I am now with Elder Isabelle from Mexico for two days and then transfers will be Wednesday. I still don't know what will happen. I have been here a really long time, but I don't know that they will sent both me and my companion out of the area.  So I will probably be here for six more weeks. This last week was long. It felt like the time of three transfers put together. So, if I had a choice, I wouldn't want to be with another missionary that finishes his mission. It wasn't too fun of a week, but we had a good time together before that, and he helped me lot with my Spanish. I still don't speak well, but I got a lot better. 

This week we had six people come to church. I think for some of the reason it was to say good-bye to my companion, but what ever starts the seed I guess. This week we found a less active lady. She has been going through a lot. She has been robbed six times in the last year. It was like the perfect time for us to come. It is funny how it all worked out to tell you the truth. It's cool how the Lord works. She has had a rough time, and she kept calling us the angels that the Lord sent, so that made me feel pretty good. Then yesterday we had to go to Vina for Elder Amezquita's last interview. It was interesting. We ate lunch at like four or five in the afternoon.

Sounds like you had a busy week with everyone there. I bet that was fun. Every Monday I forget what I am going to say. Oh yeah, yesterday we had a meeting with the leaders of the ward and our leader, Brother Missinal was worried about no baptisms, but the bishop was cool. He and the Elder's Quorums leader said, "We have four excellent missionaries here. Sometimes the hearts of the people change." Other than that, I don't really know what else happened. This week was kind of a blur.

Oh, I forgot to tell you that when we went to the Mission President's house yesterday, we walked in and his wife is wearing a Bart Simpson's apron. I never thought I would see that for a Mission Presidents wife.  But they are Chilean, so it made me laugh.  Have a good week.

Love,

Elder Gillies

Last Week with Elder Amezquita

That was good to see almost everyone in the photo.  You were  missing Dallas, but that was good to see everyone.  Glad Peyton's blessing went good. Sorry if you can't understand this email.  The keys aren't working very good on this computer. 

So last p-day we went to Quintero. That was fun. I took some pictures that I will send to you. Now  today we are going to go to Vina to get the plaque for my companion. This is my last week with him. So I will get a new comp this next week for sure. The question is if I will stay here or get transferred. I have been here for almost eight months.

Can you do me  a favor.  A member wants to know how to make cinnamon rolls and the trial mix you make at Christmas. Can you please send me those two recipes in next week letter if you have time. If not, it's fine. There was an activity of dancing in the church this week. We couldn't dance, but it was still pretty funny to watch. The guy with the microphone was good. There are some sisters in the ward that are pregnant so he wanted to get everyone to dance.  He said, "If you are pregnant get out there and dance too! There is no excuse. It's not a sickness, but a blessing from God." It was super funny. He made comments like that the whole night, so I was laughing pretty hard.  It was fun.

No one is really progressing at this moment. We had a few come to church, but they are not that interested. I was also going to ask Bryan if he works with someone that knows what I could do with my stomach problem. Like if I could eat something that would help because I am still having problems.

We had exchanges this week.  Then a lady saw some stuff about polygamy on the TV and she said she was ashamed that our church did that.  She said, "How could she face her friends?" I about said, "I am ashamed of you for thinking that." We haven't got any more rain for their crops, so for the summer everything is going to be really expensive or they aren't going to have it. We will see what happens. So we have got to head out to Vina.

Love,

Elder Gillies

Quintero - 7/12/15

Wall in Quintero - 7/12/15

Wall in Quintero - 7/12/15

Interviews with President DIaz

This week there was more rain on Sunday and half the ward showed up and when I mean half, it was 76 people and usually it's like 150. So that was bad. I guess the people at church are the ones with the testimonies that are a little stronger, but we can all work on something. I don't know, the last couple of weeks have been a little harder to teach and find people. With the new mission president, I like him a lot.  He teaches a lot different from President Kahnlein. He teaches more like a seminary teacher, and there is a lot of participation. President Diaz had to do all the interviews too, but he leaves some stuff up to us and I like that. I don't feel like I am in the military anyone. It's more like being a missionary and I like that a lot.

That is fun that everyone is coming up for Peyton's blessing. Hopefully the guys do good in the 3-d archery shoot. That sounds fun. I don't have any muscle anymore because you don't really use your arms, so I don't think I could even pull a bow back right now.

I have just a few weeks left with my companion before he goes home.  It will be interesting. I  have never been with a companion who has ended the mission, so I am interested in how it will end. With the changes, I have been here quite a while, but with the new president and all, we will see what happens. If I had to stay in an area this long, I am glad it's in Con Con.

Sounds like that was fun to take the youth to the temple for baptisms for the dead.  I can't believe all those kids are twelve years old now.  At least now the ward has some deacons again. That will be good so they can pass the sacrament. I had to do that yesterday in our ward since there were just a few people at church. Our investigators....well, I don't know. We have a few that we are teaching, but I don't know if we are fulfilling all their needs or if they are just afraid to commit or what. Other then that, not much happened this week. Have a good week.  

Love,

Elder Gillies

President Diaz Takes Over

Wow, it was good to hear about all the kids from Lyman going on their missions. That is crazy. There should also be a whole heap of them coming home of the kids in the grade before me. So the Cup of America ended and Chile won.  It is the first time they have ever won anything, so it was crazy.  I can't imagine how it was in Valisapro or Santiago.  In Con Con, it was like crazy, but it was fun. The game went in overtime and then there was a penalty. Then Chile beat Argentina, so that is always good to beat them.

I think my mission will be a little different with President Diaz.  He is a lot more relaxed so I am super happy about that.  Now we just have to get the zone leaders to relax. President Diaz was going to let us have activities in the zone every change and then he changed his mind after the zone leaders said a bunch of stuff. I was kinda ticked, but its o.k.  He did change some of the rules, so that was good. Then Sunday we had about 110 people attend church.  It has never been that low, since I got here,  I guess everyone was partying from the world cup win and couldn't make it to church. Then we did a fast for Chile because they needed the rain so bad.  Before we even left the church, it started to rain.  It was cool to see the mercy of the Lord. It just shows you how powerful fasting is.

I hope Tate and Brady have a Happy Birthday this week. I will have a zone conference with President Diaz so it should be good. I am excited to see him and meet him. I think he will teach more like a seminary teacher, so I am ready to learn a lot from him during this year. 

That is cool about the Cody rodeo and the bears you saw in Yellowstone.  Sounds like Mark saw elk too, so that was fun.  The only thing I have seen lately is sea lions. Other then that, it is dogs and cats. I don't want to see any more dogs! There are dogs everywhere. It was weird yesterday when it was raining. It didn't have that fresh rain smell. It had the wet dog smell!  We are still looking for investigators. What happened to Elder Packer?  I heard he passed away yesterday. We asked the bishop what we could do about the cousin thing of the couple that we are teaching. He said there was no law against it in Chile, but he had never actually heard of a case of it. I was surprised, but he just kept saying it was weird and we are like, we know! It wasn't too bad of a week this week. I hope you have a good week.

Love,

Elder Gillies

Chile wins the World Cup - 7/4/15

Elder Amezquita & Elder Gillies

Hats - 7/5/15

Let the Games Begin - 6/29/15

Pilot Gillies - 7/5/15