Week 56...

Mi Gente, 

This week was absolutely insane! I have never gone so many days in a row without sleeping. Unreal the lack of sleep I had this week. The cool thing is that I somehow had the energy to work hard and fast this weekend, so I definitely saw a lot of blessings in that aspect of my life! My hijito is Elder Cachari from La Paz, Bolivia! He's the only Boliviano en La misión and he’s definitely got that greenie power we all talk about. He basically came into the mission ready to go to work, but I don't think he was expecting this kind of heat in Santiago. He's like "Elder, is it always this hot in Chile? Can we take more than one shower a day?" I was like... uh, no we can't take showers in the middle of the day. We must work from 11:30 to 9 or 9:30 everyday. The news that we only have 1 hour to eat almuerzo was also a kick in the pants. He asked me "Elder, when do we have our hour to eat dinner?" I was like; there is no such thing as dinner first of all, and second, we work the rest of the day after almuerzo. That kinda got him down, but he's getting acclimated to it all now. He's got a super powerful testimony and the first thing I asked him when I saw him was "Está listo para trabajar duro? Le gusta hacer ejercicios?" He responded "quiero trabajar full y me encanta hacer ejercicios!" Perfect kid for me! He doesn't exactly like the fact that I wake up at 6 to get an hour of working-out in before we get ready for the day... but he's getting accustomed to it! He ran pretty well with me the first day, but the second he nearly died. It's all-good, he leaves to run with me and that's all that matters!

Meeting our Greenies...

We had our fair share of Grizzweaver experiences this week! So Tuesday in the afternoon we were paired up with our greenies and we left immediately from Maipú. We gave his luggage to the pensionistas and they were going to bring us his bags in the night... yeah they never came. The worst thing is that the next morning we had to go to district meeting early so that I could have "El Consejo de Guerra" with the zone leaders and all the other district leaders in Ochagavía. On top of the fact that we didn't have his bags, I didn't have any credit in my cell phone to call anybody! Fortunately Papa Soza gave me his phone and I could make a few calls. He ended up going to his first district meeting with his dirty clothes from the day before and after the meeting his bags finally got to the pension! Poor kid... a Weaver as his trainer; this is just the beginning of the Grizzweaver misfortunes for this change. 

Elder Cachari is an interesting name and the Chilenos are having a hoot with our compañerismo. Weón is a curse word here in Chile... a rather strong curse word. I'm used to people reading my tag and saying "weeeeaaaver" like "weón?" I always say "no, weeeever." Chilenos also say "Catchai?" Instead of saying "entiende?" So Elder Cachari is like the hero here in Chile. They think his last name is so cool! 

This week we had some of the most spiritual lessons I've had in my mission. Elder Cachari really brings the spirit into every lesson. He shares a lot of personal stories and he's already made 3 Chilenos cry, which I've only seen once in my mission until now. Way cool guy, we're going to get along just fine! We have 4 investigadores with baptismal dates and church attendance!

The assistants are going to leave Villa Sur, so our sector just got a whole lot bigger and a whole lot more Ghetto! WE HAVE THE BLOCKS NOW!!! 

My first district meeting was pretty good. I have the Elders from Buenaventura (a small branch) and La Victoria (The most ghetto sector in the mission for the Zone Leaders). I talked about having confidence everyday to talk to everyone and overcoming our fears and obstacles that impede us from being the best missionaries we can be. I used the story of the lions and the perritos, that mom shared with me in a letter awhile back and how all of us have perritos in our lives that keep us from seeing our Regal Identity!  I love that story and it was perfect for my training.

YOU CAN'T PLAY BASEBALL IN THIS WEATHER! IT'S SO HOT HERE! (This is a line from the movie The Sandlot… Connor loved this movie growing up! It must be really hot!)

I Love the mission, I love my Savior, love my greenie, and we're going to take out the trash this change!

Paz Gente! 

Elder Weaver 

Week 55...

Hey all ya'll! 

So this last week was literally nuts. I'm running on very little sleep right now, but I'm pumped because I'm going to be receiving my first greenie today! That’s why I’m writing you guys today and not yesterday! Not only was I called to train, but I will also be District Leader here in Ochagavia. I have a companionship in a rama called Buenaventura and I'm District Leader over the Zone Leaders in the most ghetto sector in the mission called La Victoria. Sounds like they all have baptismal dates this weekend, so I'll be doing baptismal interviews this Thursday.

This last week was a solid week of work! Elder Marquina wanted to leave the sector in a good condition after being in the house for 2 weeks so we went all out this week to try and find and put fechas down! We also had the Worldwide Missionary Broadcast from the general authorities this past Wednesday that was spectacular.  It was a super simple message, but many times we forget as missionaries that the person really needs to experience that conversion before baptism or they’ll never stay firm in the church after their baptism. The people have to realize that without Christ we really are hopeless and if we aren't constantly doing our part to come unto Him, we aren't true Latter-Day Saints. I realized personally how much I really need the atonement even as a missionary. The times that I have felt the most successful is when I was constantly looking to improve myself rather than seeing all the reasons and excuses why people weren't progressing in my teaching pool! I loved the lesson that Elder Bednar touched about teaching with the spirit as well and how we are only the instruments for the spirit, but the Holy Ghost is the teacher. He mentioned something that is so true. We think as missionaries and as members that we can just jam our testimony into the heart of another person, but really we can only present an opportunity to bring the spirit close to the person's heart and they have to do the rest! They have to take the first steps of repentance by acting! That action is compromisos like reading the book of Mormon and praying and going to church. The people need to understand that every compromiso is an act of repentance because we're saying to our heavenly father that we're willing to act in order to change and come unto His son Jesus Christ! All in all, it was a great Worldwide Missionary Broadcast! Shout out to all those Mozambique missionaries that are going to see Elder Cook in this next month!

It was sad to say bye to Elder Marquina. He's been a great comp, and he was also the comp that I learned the most from. Lots and lots and lots of desafíos and pruebas de paciencia. I only hope to apply what I learned from him the rest of my mission. His Peruvian cooking will be missed as well. 

This is my first sector that I've had more than 3 changes. Not going to lie, it's hard because the sector is small and I feel as if I've contacted every house. We're going to baptize anyway though. 

This gospel is amazing, this mission is amazing, and I'm ready to take on the challenge of training while being a District Leader! I imagine my greenie coming in like Elder Calhoun from best two years with bottle glasses and his luggage everywhere and grabbing me and saying in the nerdiest voice ever "MY NEW COMPANEGA, ELDER JOHNSON WILL YOU TAKE A PICTURE OF US?" Then I'm going to give him the dirtiest look ever and we'll go to work! Ha! Ha! I love that part in the movie!  I’m sure I’m going to love him and we are going to get to work from day 1!  I'm pumped and nervous as all get out at the same time. Presidente really put the pressure on us yesterday in our trainers meeting. I have to set an example so that this mission continues to be the highest baptizing mission in Chile! 

Love all of you!

Much Love, Un Abrazo,

Elder Weaver