Well, this week was a killer! A lot of working, and a lot of talking, and a lot of learning! But it was good, a good week! I guess I'll skip over most of it and tell the interesting stuff.
Elder Blanco and I finally completed with the mission standards! 14 lessons taught to investigators with a member, 10 new investigators, 6 baptismal dates remaining after Sunday, and 6 investigators in church on Sunday. It was super intense, and we were working crazy hard all week to get it done. The news and the dates are easy. The hard part is getting people to act. It is very hard to get lessons with members because none of the members want to come with us. Which is frustrating. But when we have someone, we milk it for all it's worth haha! Maybe that's why they don't like coming with us... because we work them hard! But we finally got some this week. The hardest standard is 6 in church. It is not in the culture of Chile to go to church on Sunday. Nobody goes to church. So when we invite people, they immediately don't want to go. It's the biggest day to shop, and to sell. It's a big day to sleep, or to work. It's super difficult to tell people that one of the biggest parts of their culture is a sin haha! But... we try. Anyways, we have been focusing on a lot of families, trying to get them to come in, and Israel and his family finally came! It was awesome! They beat us there, too! We called in the morning, and they told us they were already on their way. That scared me, because people tell us that when they actually just don't want us to insist. But they actually went! And it was a really great sacrament meeting! They loved singing the hymns. They didn't come to the classes, because they left a kid at home sick with the mother in law, but that's ok. They said they're coming next week. Now the only thing they are missing is marriage!
So funny story, the missionaries here call everyone 'Huacho', like, 'heeeey, what's up huacho!!!' So I began to say it too. So we were in a house with an investigator, their daughter walked in with her boyfriend and their baby, and so I greeted them and everything, and I said hi to the kid, a 2 year old, and said 'Heeey huachito, qué pasa?' And everyone stared at me with a weird look, and Elder Blanco was laughing so hard he was crying, and I was like, what'd I say?! Elder Blanco told me that, apparently, Huacho is very slang, and it's a word used to say orphan! So I basicaly cursed while calling a kid orphan in front of his parents... so that was awkward...
Cambios came in. Elder Blanco and I are both staying another cambio here in Caliche. I'm ok with it. Actually, I'm really happy. I've enjoyed my time with Elder Blanco, and we have a new drive to get work done! Cambios are always awesome because it's a fresh new start, a time to set goals and get ish done!!! So I'm excited. One of the Filipinos left, and the other is going to train! He's super excited, and I'm excited to see if it's a gringo. There are 15 new elders coming, and some hermanas. It'll be fun.
Elder Blanco's birthday was on Saturday. We went ham hahaha! We worked regularly up until 6:30, and then we went to our mamíta's house. They had set up a massive party for us haha! They invited a ton of random people to celebrate with us, too, and all of them were Columbian or Ecuatorian, which apparently know how to party! There was karaoke and music and a ton of food! I of course did not plan any of it, I just let them know that it was his birthday, and they kind of took off... they are less active, so maybe that's why they went so crazy. But we were there for a couple hours, and I tried to share something, but... yeah, no. Haha, I feel kinda bad because it's basically a sin to do that as a missionary, but I take comfort in the fact that I did not plan it, and I did try to share haha! Afterwards, we went to a family home evening with an awesome family. Actually, José and Deyanira and their family. The bishop also came with us! We taught the lesson on making goals and asking God to help with them, and then Bishop talked for 30 minutes about marraige... haha that was not planned either, but oh well! Our bishop is awesome. He's a Columbian who loves to joke about his black skin with everyone! But he is super young, too, maybe 26. He's filled with energy and fire and everything, and is also super direct with people... I learned last night as he began challenging my investigator. But... I guess we'll see what happens haha! He still came to church, so that's a good sign.
OH! One more story. Last night we went to an investigator who is the husband of a less active lady. He has always had a hard time understanding us and what we're inviting him to do, and last night we found out why. They also had a dinner for Elder Blanco's Birthday (Lucky!) And they invited the husband's brother, a pastor or something in the evangelical church. He is super knowledgable of the bible. So we were just talking and the conversation turned to religion, and all of the sudden the man takes off talking about any subject and every subject from the bible. Elder Blanco and I just kind of sat there and listened. He wasn't wrong, because everything he said I already knew, and it was in the bible. But he had an attitude of trying to prove us wrong in some point. I didn't have any desire to bash his religion with all the new stuff I've learned (I recently read 'In the Defense of Truth' and have a new stock of religion destroying scriptures haha). Nephi tells us that contention is of the devil, but I like to be prepared if someone attakcs my church demanding that I try to defend it with the bible. Anyways, we basically just sat there and listened to the man talk until we had to go home. It was super weird. I learned how much I prefer the way our missionaries teach: with the spirit. The simple will be used to confound the wise! It is much more effective to have someone feel the spirit that comes from the truth than to teach them a lesson from the bible. It was good to learn that from the man, I have a bigger drive to search for the spirit in every lesson now rather than try to prove my point with scripture.
But anyways, that's my week, other than proselyting and being attacked by dogs with rabies, and some crazy people (also with rabies). Hope you all have a good one!
Les amo a todos!
Elder Schmid
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