Week 68

Hola familia!!

Hahaha, mom, I saw the first sentance, ''This might be one of my shortest letters because there is not a whole lot to say...'' that was so wrong! Haha it was one of the largest! But it just made me laugh. This letter from me might be pretty short... I don't know. As always, sounds like you are having a ton of fun there in the states! I'm glad to hear it! Trying not to be jealous! ;) The love language test... yeah I guess I can try.  Things here are doing alright! Moving forward.

So this week was really, really slow in terms of work. We had a ton to plan and a ton to do. One part is that we had interviews and conference with Pres... again. Two weeks after the last one. It's because the EFY was held here, and he was here talking for it, and he decided to just have the conference while he was here. Oh well! But it was good! The interview was short but sweet. Normal stuff. But then, afterward, we had a service with Millaray and Camilo at their house, and the Pres's assistant came with us to do their baptismal interviews. And they passed! WOOT WOOT! So we began planning their baptism and everything. I wanted this baptism to be super awesome, because it was also the birthday of Camilo. He was turning 14 on Saturday! So we planned it all super well, and his family was even coming in from Vallenar, which is a couple hours away. All of their family are members, except the two of them, because their mom went inactive. But when they heard that she had come back to church, and that the kids were getting baptized, they were so happy! They all came. Friday, a member called us, and was telling us that we needed to postpone, because everyone was going to be tired, or busy, or whatever, especially with the PFJ (EFY) ending, but we felt that we should move on through, and it turned out great! Saturday, Camilo and Millaray got baptized! It was an excellent service! Their grandma gave a short message and testimony that was very special, and left her and the kids crying, and everyone feeling the spirit! Sunday they were confimred by their uncle! I'm so happy for them both! They are both very smart, and super great people, and I know they are going to go far! Now we are going to jump on the ward and make them do their part to keep them there!

The rest of the week was very slow. As I said, we had the conference as well. It is now one of my favorite conferences. We talked about charity. He had us memorize some scriptures, all of them doing with charity. My favorite was Moroni 7:44-48 

( 44 If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.

 45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail— 

47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.)

I was repeating it to myself a lot over the week. We learned a lot in the conference about Charity, and the roll it plays in the missionary work. We can all always use more charity in our lives. Without it, we are nothing! How interesting...how we can have a perfect faith, and a perfect hope, believing completely and doing everything we need to, but if we don't have charity, it has no value for us. We are nothing. That's some intense scripture! It made me think a ton of my experience with charity here. I remember arriving, just before Christmas, thinking how great it would be to spend my favorite holiday here, and all of the sudden I'm in the desert dying, sorrounded by strange people with a really weird language, and I was super frustrated! And I stayed that way for a long time! I was always frustrated with everything the Chileans were doing, and it was very bad for me. But, as I began to look at the people and how God looks at them, with the love He has, having more charity, it all began to change! It is still hard, and the people are still the same, but now I am here with a love to help them! I loved talking about charity in this conference!

The rest of the week was just walking around trying to fit in some lessons through the chaos. It ended with Sunday having no investigators coming to church but an eternal investigator, who doesn't want to quit drinking, so can't get baptized. Oh well. I am super happy! We baptized! But not just to baptize and compete with some goal, but because these two children of God were ready to take the next step in their eternal progression! So that's my week, hope y'all have a good one!

Les amo a todos!

Elder Schmid