I hope everyones new years is going well. Last night they had fireworks. The bad thing is they were close to us and we were on the normal schedule: trying to sleep. All we heard were explosions. I was a little frightened at first but then I realized what day it was.

The highlight of this week (and so far my mission) was the baptism we had yesterday for the Santibanez family. Elder Lizama and I were both able to be part of this one. We told them that they could choose who they wanted to baptize them and they said they wanted us to do it. So I got to baptize the father Sergio and Elder Lizama got to baptize the Mother Pilar and their son Bruno. I didnt judge Sergios hieght very well and hit his head against the wall during the ordinance but other than that everything worked out very well.

I know that this family will go very far. They have their sights set on the temple and are working to receive those higher ordinances. They are already teaching their other children so that they can be baptized and sealed together as well. I dont have any doubt that the lord has great plans for this family, and we will be working with them to help them meet these goals.

Im really grateful for this opportunity to be part of their conversion. Ive never met a family so prepared. Elder Lizama and I didnt do a whole lot, we just found them. The lord did the rest. During the first lesson we found that the sister Pilar felt a spiritual prompting when she saw us knocking doors, and as we conversed with them we found that Sergio has a brother who is a less active member of the church and he said that even though he is less active, he finds that the gospel has been a source of peace for him. Im sure that this brothers testimony was a strong impact of the conversion of this family. We also found that these are people of high values. They married young and have never been unfaithful. Neither do they drink or smoke. I know that the lord has been preparing them for a long time. I remember that the first several lessons we taught were centered on jesus christ and the atonement. I had a strong prompting that this principle is the most important principle for this family, just as for all people to understand.

I look forward to seeing what the lord has prepared for this family.

I hope everyone has a great week this week.

Until next week, I love everyone very much.

Jeremy

 

 

 

 

The christmas spirit isnt as strong here in chile, at least not in quilicura. Only a few houses are decorated. The ward organized a christmas activity, with shows karaoke and a dance. We, the six missionaries in the ward were the first show, we sang silent night in three different languages. After that we had to leave because it was a late night activity. We had to be in the house on time so we didnt get to enjoy the activity. All the same my companion and I have been inviting the christmas spirit by singing christmas hymns in every lesson, and focusing more on the birth and purpose of the savior. I have especially felt the christmas spirit in my personal studies. 

This week was a really awesome week. In Chile there is a big problem with recent converts going inactive after baptism. Our leaders have been emphasizing teaching to maintain. We have been teaching a family for the last month and they are going to break the code. Every lesson we have ever had with them we have felt the spirit so strongly. They say profound things that every missionary would give anything to hear from their investigators. The father prayed the last time and thanked the lord for guiding him and his family to the true church. Not only has he invited all of his family to hear the gospel, they are inviting their neighbors to hear from us. I feel so blessed to be part of this. They will be baptized next week. I feel that the lord has a lot prepared for this family.

I hope you are enjoying the holidays,

Jeremy

Here are a couple photos. Two from the christmas activity and one from when the missionaries from our ward climbed a hill close by.

This week we had the opportunity to go to the mission home for a christmas activity. It was really awesome. We had a christmas lunch, the mission president spoke about the life of christ and the impact it has on all of us and we watched videos that the church published of the birth of Christ. They were really powerful and Moving.

This week has been a blessed week for us. We are really excited to be working with this family. The father, Sergio, met the bishop last week and it sounds like they get along well. He also commited that he would be in church every sunday. The mother also met the representatives of the Relief Society and when she introduced herself she said she was taking steps to be a member of the church :) During the last meeting we had with them we watched a movie called together forever which shows several different people talk about their lives and how the plan of salvation has impacted them for the better. There is one story that shows a family who lost a child and they talked about how the knowledge that one day they would be able to be together with their child again has helped them. After we watched the movie the son started to cry and the father said thanks to the church of jesus christ we will be able to be together forever. They truly are golden, Im really blessed to be able to see them progress like this. We were also blessed to see another young investigator in church and when I saw her in the classes it looked like she already had tons of friends which is awesome.
Well thats all for now,  I hope everyone is having a great week.

Jeremy

I hope everyone had a great week.

The last couple weeks have been very exciting. We found some new people who are really golden. We met them tracting. One family is a family of three, a husband, wife and their son. The wife said she saw us knocking on doors and she knew that we would be coming over to their door. The husband looked like he was going to be tough. About half way through our discussion the wife said that she has been thinking that they should be thinking about being active in a church and we happened to come by. The husband had some questions and my companion who is a star with the scriptures answered all the questions he had and backed it up with scripture. The next lesson we had with them I was on an interchange so I wasnt there but Elder Lizama came to me after the interchange and told me it was a miracle. The lesson started with them saying they read and then they asked if we do things like baptism. They said they want to come to church and we invited them to be baptized on the 30th. The husband has some less active members in his family and he invited them to his house to have dinner and try to get them to come back (hes already doing his home teaching). He really amazes me. we were talking about the baptism and he said I really feel like im headed there because I like this church. Im pretty sure hes going to be the next stake president.

We were also blessed to see Raphael and his sister Romina come to church. With them its a little harder to see their interest because theyre more easy going but they keep their commitments. I remember the first lesson we had with Raphael. We asked if we could share a message with him and he said sure why not. Its not what I would consider to be our best lesson, Raphael was watching football and it seemed like we were talking to the wall. I wouldnt of thought that he would be one to read and come to church but he does. We left them with third nephi chapter 11 which talks about the coming of christ to the americas. It also talks about baptism and thats what seemed to catch the attention because when we came back Raphael asked us about baptism and what it means. We hooked him up with a baptismal date and now hes considered a progressing investigator.
It was neat to see the name of our sector in the mission news along with the other sector who met the norma for the amount of progressing investigators but it was truly a blessing to see these people make progress. They are making changes in their lives and I just grateful that the lord allowed me to be a part of that. I didnt do anything, the lord knows his sheep and he knows his work. Im just grateful that he allowed me to see him work.

I hope everyone is having a great week.

I love you all very much.

Jeremy

Hello family and blog readers,

por fin hay photos.

photos of the baptism weeks ago

It sounds like everyone has been doing well, and had a good holiday. I would feel a little left out but I was there in spirit. My Thanksgiving went like this. ¨´Elder Lizama who do we have lunch with today? no idea. Lets check the list. Brother lizana. lets call him. ¨¨Hello brother lizana, do we have lunch with you today? Oh yea I forgot, Well come over my wife is cooking rice.¨¨ we go to their house. ¨¨Elder Miklich, how do you like chile? I love chile. do you miss the united states? sometimes but not a lot. Today is a holiday over there today right? It is? oh yea, Thanksgiving. I forgot.

And then I thought about what yall were doing and my spirit separated from my body so I can be with yall. It would have been nice to play the game of life. I miss that game. The latino elders here arent very big on board games. I say game and they say oh you mean la palota.

This elder has a great idea to send christmas cheer. Talk to all of your friends and tell them that the gospel of jesus christ has blessed your life. Than find your nearest missionary companionship and tell them the names of all of these friends.

This week was awesome. We basically had five people tell us straight up that they want to be baptized. It was an awesome gift from the lord.

I want to apologize to all the people reading the blog for the lack of pictures. Im technologically retarted and It takes about twenty minutes of my alloted internet time to figure out how to send pictures.

Speaking of which I spent twenty minutes of my alloted internet time figuring out how to send the pictures I sent and now I have to go. I promise next week will be more detailed.

I hope Jacob is doing well and that his elbow healed. I also hope dad has a safe trip to Colombia.

I love you all very much. Have a great week.

Jeremy