January 25, 2010

In Jeff's last letter he knew that he was going to be transfered to a new area, but did not know where until the day after he wrote us. So we were really looking forward to getting this email to see where he was:

I am in Santiago! Whoa, didn't expect to end up right in the middle of the city, but thats where I am, lol. My sector is called Parque O' Higgins and my companion is elder Canterero from Honduras. Hes a good guy, I like him. This ward is another small one, 60 people that go to church normally. But thats ok, there seems to be a lot of great people in this ward too.It was hard to say good bye, yes, but at the same time I was happy to leave.

Jeff has asked about some friends from the Anoka ward, and their plans to serva a mission:

Thats good that nick wants to go on a mission still, hope he does. Hope Chase does too.

And he continues to struggle with being out in the heat all day & night. Being in the city could compound that it seems.

One bad thing about the city is it's even hotter!! Ugh, I'm going to die here..ha
My new pension is cool, its the 16th level of a 17 story apt building. Except our fridge doesn't work, that stinks. We have a pool too, but we can't use it lol.
The fruit here is exceptional, you'd like it. And pretty much whatever kind you'd like, with a few extras that you've probably never heard of. Chirimoya for example. It's good. They really like watermelon here.

Love you all and am praying for you always!
Oh, mom I finally got that dear elder box this week. The cookies were moldy, lol. Oh well, its the thought that counts right?
And the new mission address is,
Elder DeLong
Misión Chile Santiago OesteCorreos,
Casilla 149Chacabuco 166
Maipú
Chile
(yes my-poo hahaha)
Love,Elder DeLong

January 18, 2010

In response to his Mom & Dad's birthday:

Wow, so you are both a year older now huh? ;) Time goes by really fast huh..I will enjoy my youth, although I'm starting to feel older the longer I'm here haha.

The news about whether or not he was transfered:

Well found out last night that I have changes! I'm leaving this sector finally. It's been a long journey, haha but it was a good experience. I was expecting to go, I have a long time here and was ready to leave. So I'm happy :) I'm excited to know where I'll go, hopefully the coast! That'd be sweet. It will also be nice to have a new companion, one that I can be better friends with.I learned a lot about missionary work and about life in general. However, I am very ready to move on to another sector, meet different people, see different parts of the mission. I'm hoping that I'll be going to the coast, but we'll find out tomorrow in the morning. Today I'll just be going around to the different families here saying goodbye. Then tomorrow in the morning a member is driving us to the city (Santiago) a part called Republica where we also have the changes. Then President talks to us for a little bit then they put up this list and we all go and look. Then we find our new companions and they take us to our new sector. So thats what I'll be doing tomorrow.

Glad that things are a little warmer there, today is actually really nice. It's cloudy with a nice breeze. I heard about what happened in Haiti..it's sad, they are such a poor country and already didn't have much. Now all they had is in ruins. I only hope that the countries around the world do their part and help them as much as they need.

The work here this change went well, we were able to accomplish a lot. The high light of that being re-activating a woman and getting her 2 kids ready for baptism( who I won¡t have the privilege of baptizing now, but thats ok) and of course the baptism of Rosa. So it was good and now I'm excited to move on to a different sector and work there.

Doug was asked to give a short report on Jeff's mission in Church. He asked Jeff what he would like him to say:

Umm, tell them that things are going great, missionary work is hard sometimes and a lot of work, but that it is worth it because it is the work of the Lord. Tell them that the priesthood power that each of them holds is real, and that they were chosen before this life to be holders of that authority and have a purpose in this life and work to do. And also such a great potencial that they can reach. Always strive to do the Lords will and be worthy to use the priesthood. The Priesthood power is real and we always need to be ready and worthy to use it. It is such a great blessing to have in our lives.

Well, that's about it then, next Monday I'll be able to let you know where my new sector is. Should be interesting, but it'll be fun. Hope that everything is well and that you all have a great week!

Love and am praying for you all!

Love,Elder DeLong

January 11, 2010

We were excited to see the picture of Rosa, the investigator that Jeff has been working with for awhile, at her baptism. He now gets to work with and teach her as a new member:

Yes, it was great to be able to see Rosa baptized :) Right now she is in the south again, doing medical exams. She should be back in a week or two. Now she is part of the new convert retention, so yes, the missionaries will continue to teach her for 2 more years. We do have investigators still, some that are progressing better than others. Wer have two little kids, Bladimir and Eveline, whose mom, Betsabe, was inactive. We contacted her in the street one day and found out she is a member and have now re-activated her. We had plans to baptized her kids the 16th (next Saturday) But President Jones wants them to asist the church 10 times in a row. They are at 5 so that means they need 5 more which will take them to the end of February. They were pretty sad that they couldn't get baptized the 16th, but I think it will be better this way. We also have some other families that are interested in the gospel, so things are going well.

We continue to experience very cold weather here in MN, while Jeff is sweating in the middle of summer in Chile:

Haha it's still below zero? I'm sorry. It's beautiful outside rigth now, there is a nice breeze so it isn't too hot.
Yea, it sounds like you have had really cold weather recently, I am a little jealous. Like I said, I was made for the cold, not the heat. But the last couple days haven't been too hot. Especially today, it's perfect. There is a nice breeze and the sun is not too strong today. If every day was like this I'd like that.

I mentioned that I would be teaching a lesson to the YW on the mutual theme for 2010 using some of the new dvd that the church has put out. It looks like he has seen most or all of it. I'm glad, as it is very good & shows some youth from Chile in it.

I saw the CD for the new For the Strength of Youth theme for 2010, the Bishop got it yesterday and showed it to us. It's pretty cool, the scripture is in Joshua somewhere.

Doug had sent him a quote from President Hinkley on prayer:
The trouble with most of our prayers is that we give them as if we were picking up the telephone and ordering groceries ─ we place our order and hang up. We need to meditate, contemplate, think of what we are praying about and for and then speak to the Lord as one man speaketh to another. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord” (Isaiah 1:18). That is the invitation. Believe in the power of prayer ─ it is real, it is wonderful,it is tremendous.

Thanks for the quote, that really made me think about the way I do my prayers. It's always so hard, especailly at night, to take the time needed to really do them the right way, something I need to work on. But I do know that the power of prayer is real, and that every time we offer one to Heavenly Father He is listening.

OK, well thanks for all the love and support, you are all always in my prayers. Enjoy the cold, and hope you all have a great week!
Next time I write I'l know if I'm leaving or not.
Chao! Love,Elder DeLong

January 4, 2010

It is amazing the difference in the temperature between Chile and Minnesota. We told Jeff that we are experiencing bitter cold, as low as -18 so far, while he is in the middle of summer, out in the hot Chilean sun all day

Hey!I really think that God made me for cold weather, not for the heat. But this last week it wasn't too terribly bad, but it was still hot. -18 is definitely very cold though.

We have been asking about the progress of a woman named Rosa, who had committed to baptizm, then moved to the south for awhile. She recently moved back to Jeff's area and he had this to report:

So I have some exciting news..I had my first baptism on Saturday! Rosa finally got baptized :) She is great, she has such a strong testimony. I had the privelege of confirming her yesterday, which was really cool. I was nervous,lol. But it went well.

I also had to lead the music for church and teach Gospel Principles. It was a busy day. I also did divisions with the Zone Leaders yesterday, I was with E'Robinson in his sector in Peñaflor. It was nice, he is a really cool guy. I've been here in this zone with him the whole time so I know him pretty well.

I had asked Jeff about the traditions in Chile for Christmas, if they were much different than here. He seems to have quite a different schedule than the Elders here in MN at least.

The Christmas traditions are a lot different here, thats for sure. Most families eat dinner at 10:30 or eleven and once it's 12 open all their presents and are up till 3 or so. People are weird here. Same thing with New Years, late late dinner and partying all night, lol. We had to be back in the house at 10:30 New years..lame. Oh well.

This looks like the mission holiday party. I see that Jeff has found his two former companions, Elders McKay & Salinas.

The bishop and his family have taken good care of Jeff during his time in the ward.

I will miss the bishops family a lot, but I gotta leave sometime.

Have you and dad thought any more about coming down to get me?

Jeff had mentioned that he thought it would be a great idea for us to come to Chile at the end of his mission and meet him there. Hopefully we will be able to consider doing this when it is time.

Well, I'm gonna wrap this up but I have no doubt that this is the Lord's work and (even though I miss home) this is where I need to be right now. I hope that I will be able to help a lot of people this year :) The Lord always provides a way to accomplish what He wants, our part is to have faith.

Chao,

Love and am praying for you all!

Love,Elder DeLong