Monday, December 14, 2015

Reunited at last

It was exciting and sad to pack my bags and realize my mission is over. Hno. Munoz took us (the Elders, and Hna Bramwell and I) to the mission office. It was fun to see everyone there and the excitement everyone had.
We had our closing interviews. I don’t really remember too much of what Pres. Essig said, but he told me to keep up the good habits I learned on the mission. Surprisingly he didn’t tell me I had to go home and get married, I guess he just figured that is implied haha.
Then we went to the mission home and had a lunch and a testimony meeting. It’s amazing the power a room full of missionaries can hold. Then I went out to meet mom and dad. It seemed so surreal to see them in person and give them hugs. Of course mom was crying but it was pretty awesome.
They told me they had gotten lost in Santiago for 5 hours trying to find their hotel/apt. But they managed to get to church on Sunday to visit Los Mares and San Francisco.
So we went back to the apt and hung out. Dad and mom wanted me to write the people I wanted to visit to make sure they were going to be around so I tried working a tablet for the first time in my life and I hated it because I didn’t know what I was doing and it felt so weird to be on Facebook and everything.
But we started visiting people, everyone wanted to feed us meals and pop. Every house we went to mom said, “I can’t do it anymore!” and me and dad just laughed and said, “Well, you have to.” Haha oh the joys. We got to see quite a few people. Everyone seemed happy to see us and they kept telling me I have to come back.
So we hung out  in Santiago. Went to Los Buenos Muchachos with the family Ñancupil. It was awesome to have the bbq there and see all the awesome dances from around Chile. Everyone went out to dance except for me jaja.  We toured around Santiago, went downtown to the markets and Plaza de Armas, went up San Cristobal, and Santa Lucia.
Then we went to our condo in Con Con. It was kind of chilly but it was fun to see a different part of the country. We were right on the beach and drove down to Viña del Mar and Valparaiso. They were really pretty. I loved Valparaiso because of the streets and the feel of everything. Viña was a little more ritzy but we walked on the sand (which felt sooo amazing after all that time) and ate churillanos for the fist time (famous in Viña, it’s French fries with cheese, hot dog, sausage, beef and onions.) It was then time to come back and get ready to go home. The family Ñancupil and Clarita Marin and her family came to the airport to see us off. It was so awesome.! Hno Ñancupil got pulled over and they wanted to arrest him because he didn’t have the registration for the car, it was in his brief case, so Jorge had to take a taxi real fast and bring it (stupid Chilean cops) and Hna Clarita bought me a book of Chilean slang there at the airport and they sent us home with gifts and hugs. I couldn’t help but cry as I said good bye to them. I hope that one day I will be able to see them again.

Valparaiso
Santiago Temple
Dinner with Ñanupil family
Hasta la vista amigos

 In The End

Thinking back as my experience as a missionary, it really was the time I have been happiest in my life.  Realizing all the miracles the Lord works everyday, it’s amazing. This really is the work of the Lord. A year and a half earlier I never could have imagine what was going to happen. I fell in love with the people of Chile, their culture, their wit and the members are so firm. The retention rate is horrible and a lot of my converts and less actives I taught are already starting to fall away but I continue to pray for them and hope that they will once again fill the happiness that the gospel brings. But there are also the firm ones. Glorian Seguel is now working in the Young Womens, Maria Villavicencio is sewing the baptism clothes for the ward, the family Marin who was inactive is still going to church and I know the Lord will watch over and keep them. These people have changed my life. The Lord has blessed me so much to be able to server here. I will forever be grateful for this opportunity and now, solo hay que perseverar hasta el fin. Hasta ver!
Friends reunited!
Meeting my new nephew William and enjoying these crazy kids
A happy welcome home!

Areas:

Villa Primavera          Recoleta                      6 weeks
Los Mares                  Pudahuel                     9 months
San Francisco             Pudahuel                     6 months
Lampa                        Lampa (Colina)           6 weeks

Baptisms:
                                    Baptism Date            Birthday/Age
Carolina Arellano      Nov. 28 2010             Dec 17 (10 yrs old)
Guillermo                   Dec. 26,2010             Boyfriend of Camila Valenzuela
Maria Villavicencio    Jan 11, 2011              1/12/45
Clara Marín                April 24, 2011            May 20, 1967
Diego Hernandez      May 15, 2011               Aug, 30, 1999
            Belmar
Jose Arevena              June 19, 2011             May 16, 1957
Jorge Urrea                June 26, 2011              Jan 29, 2002
Glorian Seguel           July 31, 2011              Sept 17
Paz Leyton                 Aug 28, 2011             March 19
Claudia Diaz               Dec 11, 2011             June 28, 1977
Matias Remirez          Jan 1, 2012                May 4, 2000


Companions:

Sarah Buckner           West Jordan, UT        3 months (6 wks Villa Primaera, 6 wks in                                                                          Los Mares)
Ashley Dymock          Paradise, UT              3 months  in Los Mares
Maria Player              Nibly, UT                    3 months in Los Mares, 6 weeks in San                                                                              Francisco (trio with Bramwell)
Madeline Eborn        Heber City, UT           3 months (Trained in Los Mares and San                                                                          Francisco 1)
Alexandrea                Lewisville, ID              6 months (4 ½ months San Francisco, 6 (Lexie)Bramwell                                              wks Lampa)
Wendy Elizabeth       Santa Ana,                  3 weeks as trio with Bramwell in Lampa
Escobar Orantes        El Salvador                


People I love:

Villa Primavera
Carolina Arellano
Resplendor 3745
Baptism of less active family

Guillermo
Mauricio, Isabel, Camila, Ayleen Valenzuela
Jose Maria Caro 3005
Torre F #409
 (boyfriend of Camila Valenzuela
taught him but got baptized a week
after we got transferred)

Cecilia Torres
Corner of Jose Maria Caro Diagnal
Bus driver, fed us lunch a lot

Andrea Carter
Nueva la Obra (yellow house)
Recent convert, fed us, split with us

Los Mares
Maria Villavicencio Calderon
Juan Guzman 325
(Baptism)

Familia Aros (Zamora)
Eduardo, Rossana, Franco, Andrea, Connie
Pje Venezuela 7417
Store, fed us, awesome, called 1st Christmas

Bishop Miguel Avilez
Monica, Eli, Diego, Barbara (granddaughter)
Av Pajaritos 6575
Valle Verde
Bishop and RS pres

Elder Barros
Yolonda, Roldolfo, Juan Carlos, Estefani
Pje Hualas 0178 Valle Verde
Area 70 and Gospel Principals teacher

Ervin Carcamo Alvarado
Lilian, Sebastian, Sofi, Consuelo
Pje, Ingeniero Pierre Lehman 7856
Fed us, fun kids

Alfredo Cardenas
Tatiana, Andres, Franco, Javiera
Pje Las Hualas 0200 Valle Verde
RS and YM

Victor Corro Zamora
Pje Arco Iris 284
Recent Convert, old, walked to church

Fernando Garcia
Claudia, Ignacio (Nacho)
Pje Colombia 419
Semi-Inactive, cute chubby kid

Eugenio Lovera, Rita Olguin
Francisco
Laguna Sur 7051
Bishopric, RS Pres, 1st Christmas

Jorge Ñancupil
Alejandra Calderon, Jorge, Jose
Los Cernicalos 511
Mission leader, did everything, laundry

Angelina Yañez Osses
 Leslie, Fernanda, Maite
Los Carpinteros 7145
Lunch every Tues, laundry
Hilda Diaz Gajardo
Mosia, Elizabeth
Curacautin 7009
RS Presidency

Juan Carlos Roman
Alicia, Eva, Leo, Cata, Antonia
Poesia 7353 and
Reina Sofia 265
Awesome, Seminary teacher, fed us, “Ni un brillo”

Andrea Gallardo
Pracila, Natalia
Villa Militar Block C #104
Neptuno 97 con Pajaritos
Inactive, presented daughters

Catalina Diaz Cifuentes
Moved to Maipu
RM de Argentina

Cristian Aceituno y Catuska
La Travesia L31
Bishopric, works at airport

Enrique Cardenas (German)
Lago Peñuelas 099 Valle Verde
“Raquete Camote”, LOVED missionaries

Evelyn Reyes
Pje Pajaritos 49 (con Lago O’Higgins)
Primary music

Orfilia Cerón
Leo, Danny, Carolina, Grandma Carmen, creepy dad
Pje Lejania 7361
Fed us, visited mom (convert)

Claudio Marín
Margot (Giddy), Claudio, Natali, Francisco, Matias, Isadora
Bienvenido 7007
Les active

David y Andrea (Pavez) Gonzalaz
Diagnal Tiniente Cruz 557 #308
Awesome, fed us, she finally got pregnant
Clara Marin Barrera
Valentina
Travesia 6988 F44 (Condominios Los Torres)
Baptism, Husband lives in Valle Verde

Luis Urrea (b-day Sept 10, 1973)
Alma Carter(b-day Jan 3, 1972), Jorge (b-day Jan 26, 2002)
Buen Vivir E #102 (Travesia con Las Torres)
Less active, lived in Mexico, baptized son, threw me b day party

Glorian Seguel
Humberto, Paz, Constanza Leyton
Villa MIlitar A #102 Valle Verde (Neptuno con Pajaritos)
Baptisms

Diego Hernandez Bermar
Curacoutin 7088 (frente de la plaza)
Lived with LuLu Reyes
Roldolfo, Esteban, America, Evelyn
Amazing lady always sharing the gospel, happy with lots of trials

Jose Arevena (May 16, 1957) y Ximena (Sept 16, 1956)
Alsino Sur 87A
Batpism, crazy cat lady

Edwardo Cuevas
Maria, Valentina, Valeria
Travesia 6988 N #11


Alexis Lucero
Jaqueline, Estefanye, Matias, Alexis
Rariruca 234
Fed us, good people

Juan Pablo Nuñez Varas
Marta Brunette 7185
Ward secretary, single, family inactive

Julia Toro Nuñez
Camilo, Christopher
Los Nudos 6995
Fed us, went with us to Jose y Ximenas

Victor Varas
Claudia, Marvin, Natalie, Jared
La Mampara 286
Used to be bishop

Hernan Rojas, Ana, Benjamin (grandson)
Las Taguas 494
Cute old people, we worked as park keeper

Barbara Hernandez y bebe Felipe
Condominios Las Torres 0 #44
Was baptize Sept 25, 2011 after I left
Gave her my blowdryer

Cecilia Ñunez (32+-)
Condominios Las Torres L #4_
Activiating her

San Francisco

Jaime Robles
Yamile, Maykool, Felipe
Cerro Calan 9522
Bishopric, laundry, did everything, fed us a ton!

Claudio Rojas
Carolina, Jose, Carolina
Rio Trancura 9741 #53
RS, washed our clothes

Roberto Briones y Vicki
Cerro San Luis Sur 9545
Fed us

Luis Cabrera
Anita Salazar, Almendra
Rio Clarillo 9736
RS Pres, has since separated and moved

Luis Naranjo
Roxana (recent convert), Camilo, Fernanada (recent convert)
Cerro Paine 927
Luis never got baptized, went to church for 1 ½ yrs. Dj. They are moving

Raul Urra
Fabiana, Benjamin
Guzman Riesco 885 A #31
Bishop, fed us

Alejandro Peña
Silvia, Valentina, Agustina
Rio Trancura 9677
Fed us, accompanied us, made cakes

Carolina Pedreros
Michael, Aaron
Bravo Luco 1396A
Awesome! Has since moved to Quilicura

Cristian Moreno
Veronica, Alan, Evelyn
St. Marta 9579 (at the end on the right)
Accompanied us

Paula Troncoso
Matias, lider misional, Agustin (rambunctious kid)
Jazmin 1304
RS

Broulio Hernandez (inactive)
Sandra Velasquez (investigator), Fernanda
Rio Trancura 9743 Casa 085
2nd Christmas, fed us, skyped Bramwells funeral


Maria Uribe
Katherine, Pedro
Cerro Tololo 1229
Inactive, made brownies

Claudia Diaz (June 28, 1977)
Manuel Alvarez Ramirez (Dec 24, 1961), Barbara (Dec 4, 1994), Coni (Oct 23, 2001), Martin was born just before I finished mission
Jose M Carrera Parcela #45, Noviciado
Baptism, Barbara baptized after I left. Only country baptism

Inez Contrerez (Sept 13, 1953)
Matias Ramirez (March 4, 2000), Ingrid (March 26, 1983), Victor (drunk)
Patricio Edwards 1323
Matias baptism, mom not member, grandma active

Yris Villarroel y Ariel Concha
Bravo Luco 1082
Fed us, crochet white booties, accompanied

Camilo Soto, Edwardo y Nayareth
Patricio Edwards 1257
Camilo drunk, kids liked church, hung with Matias

Cecilia Rojas, Danae, y Fernanada
San Ignacio 1157
I taught Fernanada piano

Cynthia
Baptized in Lo Prado lives down town, accompanied us, married Sebastian Rodriguez

David y Iris Valdes
Tranque 1105
Accompany, eat

Familia Jara
Deyanira Fuentes
St Victoria 1365 (with the doves)
Fed us, super nice

Marcos Valdes
Angelica, Gabriel, Jose
Olmue 1271

Victor y Luci, Milagros (down syndrome)
St Emilia 1335
Peruvian, fed, he’s not a member

Ivon, Solange, Franco, Nacho, Angel
Serrano 964 (con Tiniente Cobo)
Inactive

Reinaldo Rojas Meriños
Maria, Jecelyn, Margerie, Wilson
La Campana 1178
We taught grandma and got baptized, Wilson mission

Hugo Rodriguez
Margarita, Sabastien, Matias, Franchesca, Thomas
Lo Espejo 916
Fed us, made skirts and dresses

Susan y Mitchel Montano
Javiera, Antonela
Cerro Calan 9532
Inactive, YW

Bernardo Calderon y Elizabeth
Ande 9402 (004)
Lived in Panama for long time, son serving in Pocatello mission

Lampa

Familia Caceres
Raul, Melody, whole fam
Lo Castro Parcel 15-B Sitio 1
Lunch every Sunday, accompanied, farewell party and gifts

Diego Muñoz
Food man, took us to Santiago when finished, fed us