December 27, 2009

We were able to talk to Jeff on Christmas Eve. Fortunately, all of our family was able to be here for his call. Greg & his wife Laura flew in from UT a day early to try to miss some of the big snow storms that were heading our way. It was the best to be able to hear his voice and just confirm in person that he is alright and doing well. Jeff and Greg talked in Spanish for awhile, and carried on a good conversation. Greg served a mission in Venezuela & is still fluent, so he reported that Jeff's Spanish is coming along very well. Having his two last companions be Latino sure helped.

Hi!

It was awesome to be able to talk to you, not to mention everyone in the family! It was really sweet! Glad to hear that you are all doing well, there was a lot more that I wanted to talk about, but there just wasn't enough time..oh well at least there is Mother's Day too ;)

Everyone opened the Chileno gifts that Jeff had sent us:

Glad everyone liked the gifts! Did you and dad like the sweater/ponchos? I thought that they were pretty sweet, I almost kept dads for my self haha

I definitely missed you all this Christmas, it sucked to be away from you. It was a lot different expierience, but the plus side is only one more and then I'll be home to be with you all for the next Christmas.

Maybe just a touch homesick? We sure missed having him here with us, but his selfless service to his Heavenly Father is one of the things that make Jeff such a great guy.


More companion updates:

I'm able to work with my companion, so thats what is most important. As a person though I don't like him, but I guess you just have to learn to deal with it sometimes.

Here is how Jeff describes spending his Christmas -

Oh after I called we went back to our sector and worked for a while. Then at 9 we went over and celebrated with the Vargas Family(I'm forwarding the pics) So that was fun.



















Then the next day we went over to a family at 6 an 8 (and we did get a few gifts haha. Most deodorant spray, I guess I smell bad haha.) But the Bishops family gave me this nice smelling cologne. And yea, thats about it. Today we had a fun zone activity, water balloons were involved. Haha, hope that you all have a great new year!











Miss you all and am praying for you!

Chao!

Love Elder DeLong


Also since we have had so much snow lately, we sent him a picture of some of it, so maybe he can feel a little cooler as he looks at it on his hot days there.

December 21, 2009

We haven't been receiving any pictures from Jeff for the past several weeks. He said they are not suppossed to take pictures while they are out proselyting, they tend to look like tourists, plus it takes time away from their main purpose of being there-to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Well my week was good, the work here has been going well. We've found a lot of new people to teach recently. We found this woman who was inactive for 8 years and we are in the process of reactivating her. She has two kids that we are going to baptize in January, 9 and 10 years old, so that will be fun.

Jeff is still struggling with his new companion:

But you can't get along with all the companions perfectly, so..But we've been having a lot of success so thats been good. People are a little more receptive this time of year so thats good.
We had 60 at church yesterday, so our ward is still small.


Rosa is doing great, I'm really happy that I'll be able to see her baptism, her son Sergio is going to baptize her so that will be great! And I think I'm going to do the confirmation, yikes! Umm, Christmas we'll go over to a families and for New Years the Bishops. I'm not really sure still whats going to happen. We have our big mission activity the 23rd, so I'm really excited about that.

I'm wondering if in the next box we send to Jeff we shouldn't include an American cookbook?

And can you send me a recipe for corn bread, cheesecake and brownies (without a box)? It's hard because things like corn syrup don't exist here, so we can't do the caramel corn.

I felt sad that he couldn't find a way to make caramel corn. That is one of his favorite things to eat, always a holiday treat. I was hoping that he could give us a little more detail on when he would be calling around Christmas:

And as far as the call, all I can tell you is that it will be the 24th in the afternoon/evening. I don't know a specific time, sorry. And I think thats about it. Ok, thanks for everything, I'm praying for you all and am super excited to talk to you on the 24th!
Take care,love,
Elder DeLong

December 13, 2009

We waited all week to find out about Jeff's new companion. I think he was surprised that Elder Salinas was moved, and he wasn't. He is still in his first area, and sounding anxious to move somewhere different, find new contacts.

I was bummed that I didn't get transferred, this sector is hard to be in for a long time. But I was happy too because now I get to have Christmas with all the families that I know so well. My new companion, Elder Alfonso (from Columbia) is interesting. Hes a short little man, and we dont have much in common. There are a lot of things that he does that bug me, but I guess I need to learn how to live and deal with some people that I dont always like the best. We are having a lot of success though so thats what is most important!

A good life lesson-learn how to like & to eventually love those you didn't think you could.I bet every missionary can relate to this at some time.

Rosa FINALLY returned from the south. We have the 26th set as a date to baptize her before she goes back to the south on the 8th. And we found this woman Bertsabe, who moved here a month ago and who is a member but inactive. Her husband isnt a member and her two little kids(10 and 8) And we brought her and her kids to church yesterday so that was exciting!

Rosa is a woman they have been working with since Jeff arrived in this area, so exciting news about her baptismal date.

The heat is killing me slowly here, we are out all day in it. I'm pretty tan I think and also pretty skinny. Its nice haha
Well, it'll be really weird not to have Christmas with you guys or with snow and in 80-90 degree weather. But I think it will be fun. The important part is to remember and celebrate the birth and life of our Savior.


Jeff had gotten some gifts for family & friends & mailed it home. It arrived here the other day. What a great surprise! Lots of Chilean stamps all over the package-which I have saved for momentos.

You got my box?? Yay! It was fun for me to send it, although I wont be doing it too often (it was expensive) But I hope everyone likes the Chileno stuff.

We knew that he wouldn't have much time to write us this week as he was asked to write a letter to his home ward, telling about his time & experiences in Chile.

Ok, got to respond to Bishop now, love you all and thanks for everything that you do for me! Hope you enjoy the box :)
Love,
Elder Jeffrey DeLong

Hopefully the next letter will have pictures-and information about "the phone call" when we get to talk to him. The count-down is on.

December 6, 2009

It is so amazing to be able to get emails from Jeff that come from him just hours ago. I'm sure families and friends all over the world feel the same way. It helps alleviate some of the feelings of separation. Jeff sure seems to be doing great. In this last letter he shared some feelings of possible disapointment at not getting transfered to a different area. He has been in his first area for almost 4 months now.

Well, another change has come and gone and....I'm still in the same sector, haha. E'Salinas is gone though, he got the asignment to be a traveling assistant. We got the call yesterday at 4:00 and had to be ready by 7:00 (meaning everything for him all packed) So that was interesting. Then the assistants came and picked me and him up and brought us to a town called Talagante. There they dropped me of and picked up another (the other new assistant). So, right now I am in Talagante with Elder Cloward from California, he is a zone leader here. Hes really cool. I'm only with him though untill tomorrow in the morning, then we'll go to Santiago for changes and receive our new companions. Then I'll go back to my sector and he'll go back to his. So next week I'll be able to tell you who my new companion is.

But things are good here. I'm not gonna lie, I was kinda hoping to be transferred, but its the Lords will not ours. This sector is tough to be in for so long, but I know as long as I rely on the Lord that I will be able to do what he needs me to. I learned a lot from Elder Salinas, he was a good man and friend. My spanish got so much better, its weird to be talking in english with elder Cloward.

I had run into some friends from the Anoka ward while out running errands. Jeff had been good friends with Chase Eyler, whose family moved to CA then to PA.

You saw the Elyers!!!!? Whoa, thats so cool, and in a store of all places. I miss Chase, he's a great friend. Hes planning on going on a mission?? Awesome! That'll be good for him and I know he'll be a great missionary, tell him hi for me please and tell him that missions are a blast.

This was a pretty short letter from Jeff this time, and no pictures.We are already looking forward to talking to him on the phone at Christmas.

Well, thats whats been happening here, a little different than what was expected but I think it was a change for the best. Thanks for everything and hope you have a great week! You're in my prayers!
Con mucho amor,
Elder DeLong