Monday, November 21, 2016

Remember When We Got Real Letters?

These computers are really slow and I have to catch a bus in ten minutes for a big leaders meeting in Osorno. The baptism was amazing and we also had a marriage so that Gladis will be eligible for baptism this week.
LOVE YOU!
Elder Rich


Juliana and Elder Rich at her baptism 


Elder Rich and a nice view of the volcano.

Monday, November 14, 2016

Life Changing Experiences

Gosh. I was just in the bus terminal and I was overseeing all of the transfers and I got to talk to a ton of new missionaries and they were all telling jokes and talking about the elections and singing songs I don’t recognize and lots of other stuff. I felt like Winston in New Girl when he gets back to the states from playing basketball and goes to his job interview. When I get home, I am going to have to lock myself in a room for a month and catch up on pop culture. I also just found out I am staying here in Pichi Pelluco (WOOT WOOT).

So Elder Ramer and I had a baptism this week, and it was a very small and simple service. Sebastian is a really good kid who has grown up in some pretty tough circumstances and he talks so reverently about God and Christ now that he knows them. It is really special.

I also had an experience that changed my life this week. We were walking and these drunk guys started yelling at us, which happens a lot, and we kept walking. I don’t know why but I felt drawn back. I walked over and started talking to them. We talked for a little and then I just sat down next to them and asked one about himself. I was shocked to hear that in the last year he had lost his mother, father, daughter, and then wife to cancer. He cried into my shoulder as he talked about how he hated his life. He admitted that he didn’t agree with the way that he was living, but that in all reality he didn’t have much to live for anyway. He asked me why God had done that to him and all I could say was ¨because He loves you”. It was really eye opening to me and made me more able to love and not judge.

We will be having a baptism every week for the next 3 weeks. This week I am really excited for Juliana. She is so ready to make this covenant.

I love you,

Elder Rich

Elder Ramer, Sebastian, and Elder Rich at Sebastian's baptism

Sebastian's baptism

Puerto Montt is a port city known as the gateway to the Andes Mountains. Those are two volcanos on the horizon. The Osorno Volcano is on the left, and Calbuco on the right.

A view of the Pacific Ocean from Puerto Montt 

In the distance is Calbuco, an active volcano.