Christmas in Salamanca, Chile

Okay, so when the basement gets down you will have to send some pictures of it. Everything should be good with the baptisms. They are both getting baptized this Saturday. One at 5 and one at seven. That is good that you could go down to Riverton and hear Elder Hansen talk. That is really cool. The time on the skype call went by so fast! Time has never gone faster, but it was good to see you. The next skype call will be better. The connection in Salamanca isn't a good connection. I forgot if my American degree got to you guys or not. You asked about the package for my birthday. I would rather just have the money in saving for after. Don't sent the package, unless you have already sent it, but if you haven't don't worry, I don't need anything. I think Nicole and the llamilett are getting excited for their baptisms. That should be really good. I am excited for them. It should be a really good day. On Christmas, after the skype call, we went singing at the hospital, and then we sang in the town square. It was nuts, but a girl said that it was the best Christmas she ever had and that was even with me singing! So that is good.  My comp is teaching me how to play the guitar too so I know a few notes.

The ladies that you saw on skype, one is going to be baptized. The little dark girl, that was Nicole. Then her mom, Alejandra, and Camila and Kenita. They are fun. It was a good time . So we got the branch activity over with. It was really fun and good to be over with . We had 62 people come to church yesterday, so that was cool. Then yesterday, I had to do the tithing and say if people were full tithe payers or not. It was really long. Good thing it's only a branch! There was still like 400 names. Other then that, it was good to see you on skype.  Have a good week and a good new year.

Love,

Elder Gillies

Christmas Day with Santa & Elder Viana

12/25/15

Branch Activity

So I am glad that you went out for your anniversary. Sounds like fun and sounds like Utah about gave it up, but at least they won, so that is good. I will try to call you about 4:30 or 5:00 here, but it will probably be a crazy day so just be patient, I will call you. Thanks for sending the pictures. The thing is no one knows where Wyoming is at. They think of Miami, so I thought I would show them pictures to show them what it looks like there.

This week was nuts with everything. I gave interviews yesterday and all I did was run around like a crazy man. But it's all good. A member asked if he could go inactive for a little bit, then come back. I didn't know what to think about that. It's a good thing he didn't ask me. He wouldn't have liked my answer. Tomorrow we have the activity for the zone, so that will be really fun. Ilamilett should get baptized this week, if everything goes good. After Christmas, everything should calm down a little bit. I am excited to talk to you guys.

Yesterday we get a call at 9:30 saying that a sister that lives out of town didn't make it home from church yet and it had been over eight hours. We were at a devotional at the church. This morning she called us and everything was ok. No idea where she went, but it was kinda of a scary moment. The thing is, she is nuts and that isn't a joke. I didn't know what to expect, when I got that  call.

So on our p-day, my comp is teaching me how to play the guitar a little bit, so maybe I will be able to play the one that I made a little. I can almost play "Nearer My God to Thee," but it's a little rough, but good. The mission will probably have pictures of a concert they did in Vina if you want to see that on the mission website. We couldn't go, so you might see it before i get to. They said the first night 400 people showed up and it was a three night thing, so sounded like it was a lot of success. Tell Grandpa Gillies Happy Birthday this week. I hope you have a good week.  Talk to you this Friday.

Love,

Elder Gillies

Elder Viana and I  - 12/20/15

Branch Activity - 12/20/15

Just Trying to Hold Things Together

So first thing, Happy Anniversary! Hopefully you get to do something fun. Can you do me a favor? Can you send a picture of us in front of the San Diego temple, and one in Yellowstone that you guys took in the summer in the mountains. If you can send them by email, then I can print then off here. Thanks a ton. About the call on Christmas, I don't know what time yet. I don't even know how many hours that I am ahead of you. Also, next week if you don't get the email on Monday, you will get it on Tuesday, so don't worry. P-day might be changed next week, but i still don't know.

This week was good. We are finding a lot of new people to teach, so that is good. Now they just need to come to church. They are good people. With the mom of llamilett, the dad went to hit her and she finally defended herself. Then the next day he came to church. So that is good that, she defended herself. I think that llamilett might break up with her boyfriend, so maybe we can baptize her.  She just needs to get baptized.  The with Rita, we hit a breaking point with her.  She is an older lady that doesn't like to change, but I don't know. We are going to have to see. The guy who had a stroke that we gave the blessing to is not doing good.

The president of the branch is leaving again this week,  so we have the activity of the branch to do, and we might have a funeral to do when he is gone, so that will be interesting. We talked some with the branch president,  but i feel like we went backwards. The sad thing is, the branch can never progress if the president is only here five days out of two weeks. He works in Antofagasta, 18 hours in the north, so it is hard. It has been a good learning experience for me, but a whole lot of stress too. We are organizing more activities, but we will see who shows up. This week I have to talk in church,so we will see how that goes. Other then that, have a good week.

Love,

Elder Gillies

New Companion from Brazil - Elder Viana

So I got some news that the MTC changed that all missionaries are going back to the MTC for three weeks instead of two.  So that changes our release dates. So that means that I will have two more weeks in the mission. My release date will be now be June 1st instead of May 18.  So I just wanted to let you know.

This week I was in Los Vilos again. I saw a lot of people, so that was really cool. Elder Hansen went home to Utah. My new comp is from Brazil. His name is Elder Viana. He has 14 months in the mission. He works really hard, so there shouldn't be any problems. This month is going to be a little stressful. I feel like the president of the branch hasn't been here forever, so it just makes it hard and since I just got a new companion, I feel like everything is on me to do everything, at least for a few weeks until my companion learns how to do everything in the branch.

This week we gave a guy who had a stroke a blessing. I don't know how he is doing now ,but it was like 9:30 at night when they called us. It has been a long time since I have been in a hospital, so that was really weird. It is getting really, really hot here.

It sounds like you had a crazy week with everything, but sounds like it was a good one. Utah better win. They can't lose to BYU. That would be embarrassing!  How is the Utah basketball team doing? Other then that, I really don't have much to say. You should start making a list of questions for the Christmas call in a few weeks. Hope you have a good week.

Love,

Elder Gillies

11/28/15

11/29/15 - Santa's Reindeers