Crazy Week of Transfer

(The computer places all over Chile were closed for some reason so I couldn't write yesterday but I can today for half an hour. I don't have much time to reply to everyone individually so tell them all I love them.) 

I hate packing. I will take persecution for the Lord. I will run from dogs for the Lord. I will deal with fleas for the Lord. I will let people swear at me and take advantage of me for the Lord. But packing? That is where my endurance level starts to falter. A real faith tester.

All jokes aside though, this cambio (transfer) has turned out more than awesome. I got on a double-decker bus (top deck like a boss thank you) in Osorno where I said goodbye to Elder Holt. I arrived in Puerto Montt where I was greeted by Elder Watson who I loved immeditely. He is about six foot, dark hair, out loud and confident and I love him. We took another bus from Puerto Montt to Puerto Varas and from there to a little town called Llanquihue. It is BEAUTIFUL. It is on the other side of Vulcan Osorno from Entre Lagos and is built on the shore of Lago Llanquihue.

In this last week Elder Watson and I committed an older couple to be baptized on the 27th of December and another man on the 7th of January. They are all progressing and we know for a fact the couple, Ramone and Jovita, are getting dunked. We had such a cool experience with them this week and it made me realize how easy the gospel is when we do the things we are supposed to.

We had an awesome lesson on the gospel and at the end invited them to be baptized. Jovita thought for about a half second then said as if it was obvious, ¨I have no doubts. I am planning on it.¨ Ramone was more thoughtful and hesitant but he committed to the date and working to do the things he needed to do. We realized towards the end that he has a smoking problem and that Jovita drinks coffee so we left them with a Word of Wisdom pamphlet and told them to read it so we could discuss it our next visit.

Jovita called us the next morning and said, “That pamphlet was so great! I read the whole thing and all the scriptures (Which is unheard of out here by the way) and it just rang with truth. There were even things in there that I am doing that I did not know I could not do so I stopped!” We didn’t even have to teach her. She felt the Spirit so strong she just stopped on her own. She said to come over immediately so we did and we had a discussion. Jovita had already thrown her coffee out and Ramone committed to quit smoking. 

The work is just progressing and progressing. People are ready and prayers are being answered. Thank you for all of your love and support.

Love,

Elder Rich

Elder Rich and his new companion, Elder Watson

Welcome to BEAUTIFUL Llanquihue. That is a volcano in the distance.

Llanquihue, Chile

Every year since he was born I had Elder Rich's photo taken with Santa.  I begged him to try and find a Santa and send me a photo to make my collection complete.  Javier the Santa will have to do.

Mom I tried SOOOO hard to get the best picture I could. This is Chile and this is what I could get. (I literally begged for the tree.) Javier is not very lovey-dovey but I did my best to change that.

Before I left Entre Lagos, I went to say goodbye to Veronica and her dog who has bitten everyone else who has gone back there, but me. We're cool.

And you can see all the wood we chopped too. 10 METERS OF WOOD!