January 22, 2011

Hey mom :)



 My week was alright, the older couple didn't end up getting baptized :( He can't kick the smoking..so right now it doesn't look like they'll be getting baptized anytime soon. I hope so though.

Our other investigators are doing really well, we did a great FHE with them and some member friends on Sat. We watched the Restoration video. It went really well, a good spirit. I love watching that movie, I feel the Spirit everytime.


No, I don't do the interviews for our investigators, the zone leaders do them. I do them for my district though. I did 2 last Tuesday that got baptized on Saturday. I think I might be going this change, but I'm not sure. We'll see what happens. I'd like to go somewhere else and finish my last 3 changes there
 
I love football, it is the best sport by far.  I miss watching/playing it.  It's fun.  I hope Calvin follows through with the mission, it will be the best thing he will ever do in his life and it will bless his family a lot too.  Do you guys have the Restoration video?  It's a good one, you should buy it if you don't have it.

The mission has taught me that, even when maybe we don't see the results we want, as long as we have been doing what we are supposed to we have accomplished what the Lord needed. I havn't seen a ton of baptisms but success isn't measured by numbers.
 
I think one thing that I've really been able to help with here is the re-activation of members. We had another family go yesterday to church that hadn't been in over a year.
 
 But the key to happiness and success in life is having the gift of the Holy Ghost with us constantly. It is the greatest gift from our Heavenly Father and all good things come from that power in our lives.
 
So always strive to have that gift and follow the impressions. Then we will have tranquility and peace in our lives always.



Ok, well hope you have a great week and that it warms up a little bit. Say hi to everyone for me :)
 Love you mom,

Elder DeLong

January 17, 2011

Hey mom!

Yea, being sick is never fun. Being able to rest will be nice, but I still got another 4 months in me :) Well I have good news about the older couple, they had their interviews yesterday and they passed! So this Sat they will be having their baptisms. We are pretty excited, he was so happy. And we had this other young married couple go to church too. The guy is an inactive member that we found and his wife isn't a member. They are awesome and I feel she'll get baptized. The district is doing really well. The sisters are struggling the most I'd say. I don't think they get along very well, but I try to encourage them.

I got Marie's email, it was great! I'm liking what she has got set up. She is a smart girl, I'll think about it and pray and see how I feel. As far as rooming with E' Speakman, he gets back in Nov, so he will be at BYU for the winter semester. So we can make it work out..hopefully.
 Me and Peter write every once and a while, I'll ask him what he is planning on doing.
Thats great that Logan is crawling! I'll see him soon enough :)

 Sometimes the Lord humbles us, but it's always better that we humble our selves.

We had  found a little hiking activity today and got some great pictures. I'll try and sed them today.

 

Wow, I really dont know what else to say today. Sorry this is such a short email, but I'm pretty tired. I try and write more next week haha.

Hope all is well and that you all have a great week!
Love you
Elder DeLong

January 10, 2011

This week was a little tough.  I was sick the whole week til Friday with a really bad cold.  And having to go to Santiago Thursday to renew my visa made things worse, but with the power of the priesthood and some strong cold medicine I was able to pull through.  We were able to go out and work friday and Satruday. 

Care package from home:

Yes, I enjoyed the candy very much.  Especially the Peanut Butter M&ms.  Those are my new faves, they are sooo good. 
 It has been great having Elder Maldonado here, he is a great friend and missionary.  I wish he lived in the states so I could see him, but at least we have planned to play x-box online together haha.  He is pretty wealthy and one of the few  that have an x-box down here. 

 It is great to be united with all these young boys, most of us are hardly capable of tieing our shoes but we are all determined to do the Lords work and help bring people to Christ.  And thats what is most important.  As I said in my letter to dad, I am very thankful that I was able to have this opportunity to leave on the mission.  I was too excited at the start, looked at it more as something that I had to complete, but now I understand the importance of this work.  And I enjoy doing it.  Sure its tough, but its worth it.  And I know I haven't seen the most baptisms, but I know I've worked my hardest, and I'd do it again if I needed to.  And through everything I've gained a firm testimony of the gospel, which will help me raise my family and teach it to them.  Just like you guys did with us :)  So it has been a great experience. 

Also as I told dad I am pretty nervous about having to go back to school.  Especially about the finances and picking classes and a major.  I just pray the Lord will help me.

 I'd like a list of the classes if thats possible because I dont even remember what options there are.  I know a few that I don't want to take.

 My back still tends to act up, I don't know what to do. I just gotta make it a little longer. One of the first things I want to do is get a professinal massage when I get home. That will be awesome. Yea, the weather here is perfect. I love the coast for that reason( i don't love the fleas though! ugh they are terrible) Today we played basketball and soccer it was a lot of fun and great to be able to exercise (I had gotten a little pudgy since I was in bed all week).

But thanks for everything, let me know about the classes and stuff. And keep your eyes out for a job for the summer. I hope you all have a great week! :)


Love,
Elder DeLong

January 3, 2011

On December 26th we were able to talk to Jeff in Chile via skype & our web cams. We were also able to conference in Greg, Laura and Logan in Utah, so we had our whole family together to talk to Jeff. What a great gift to us!

Elderes y Hermanas, Aquí está las fotos de la navidad. Que desfruten.

Hey Mom!
Haha, yes, this year I will be coming home from the mission. :) I was very very happy to have had the opportunity to talk with all of you last Sunday over Skype! That was the best Christmas present. You all look really great! And to be able to see Logan live was a lot of fun. I've been reflecting a bit, where would we all be without the gospel? I'm not sure, but I know we wouldn't be as happy, that is for sure. It's always fun to see the fam, that's one thing about latino culture that I like. They are more united, its just a warmer culture. We tend to have a pretty cold culture up there in the states.

I have a really great district, they are awesome. I have made some great friends here on the mission.


We had another big surprise this week, one of my elders, Elder Fuhriman, had special changes and got sent to the city. I love him a lot and was sad to see him go, but to my surprise one of my old friends came out here, Elder Maldonado. I lived with him in my last sector. So now he is in my district. So that will be a lot of fun.
Speaking of friends that I have made, my best friend from here on the mission is named Elder Speakman, and we want to room together at BYU when we get back.

The youth program is getting better because we now
A. Have a Bishop and
B. Have really awesome YM and YW presidents (they are a young matrimony) So hopefully things will get better for the youth.

That ginormous sandwich was really good but it had some bad after effects haha. Its called a churrasco, pretty tasty.



OK, well not much else to say right now. Just that I know this is the true church of Christ and that we really are blessed to have such a great family and the gospel. And I know we can be an eternal family as long as we keep striving here on the earth to choose the right and hold to rod (BOM) which will keep us on that strait and narrow path :) I love you all and am always praying for your safety and success. Remember: To be Mormon is to be happy :)

Love,
Elder DeLong

December 27, 2010

 

Here are just a few pics :)

December 20, 2010

Hey!Well, first of all I have some pretty stellar news...ready? They gave us permision to use Skype when we call! How sweet is that? I just got done creating an account. SO look for me and add me as a contact, then send me what your names are before the 25th so I can look for you guys too. But I am way excited to do it! It will be fun, hopefully it all works out.

But no big news about changes, the both of us are staying here still. I was a little surprised actually, this is the first time that I've been with a companion for three changes, but I'm happy with it. We work well together, so it will be good. This Thursday we have a Christmas party as a mission, that will be a lot of fun.

So yea, I have the skype account created and everything and me and my comp tried to together. The camera on my computer wasn't working and we weren't sure about the sound, but hopefully we can figure everything out. But about the day and the time we'll be calling, I'm not sure. This place will not be opened, I just asked the guy. So we might have to call Sunday, the 26th. Or the 24th. I'm not sure. I'll have to call mom on her cell I'm sure.

Well I really don't have much more to say, I hope we can get everything figured out here about the Skype and stuff. We have never used it and I don't know, hopefully it isn't complicated. We are messing around with it right now and it's working so...fingures crossed! But if it gets complicated I'll just call on the phone. But in the interest of time I'm just sending this one email, and not one to mom. I'll be talking to you all soon. I want to call the 25th, but I'm not sure if any place will be open. I'll call mom I think and let her know. But hope you all have a great week and Christmas!

Love you,

Elder DeLong

December 13, 2010

Hey, Well it sounds like you had a pretty interesting week, with the snow and all. This week went well for me, we are still working to help our investigator drop smoking. What helped you do it mom? I will probably have to give you a quick call to let you know when I will be calling. Which day would you all prefer, the 24th or the 25th? Let me know next week. And be sure to send me pics of the snow and the family! How did the Jeep do in the snow? Just so you all know the weather here is perfect, clear blue/sunny skies :) haha.

Yes, I had to eat a little bit of fish. I think it was just like a tuna type of thing, i'm not sure. But I still don't like it. As I write this there is a terrible smell of fish in the air, its disgusting

Gina wasn't able to go to church yesterday, she fell in her bathroom and was in a lot of pain so that was a bummer.

Changes are getting close again, the 21st. It should be interesting to see who goes, honestly I think it could be either one of us. But we'll see. These last two months have been going by so fast! Its weird.

I actually saw the Christmas devotional yesterday, thats when they broadcasted it here. It was a good message. The Jehovas Witnesses don't celebrate Christmas, which i think is interesting. I don't agree with it, but I can see why they don't, because the world today is so focused on the gifts and new things and not on the Savior :/ I think thats something that we can always improve in.

I like this message that our President sent us: Omni 1: 26 And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.

¿Estamos ofreciendo nuestras almas enteras como ofrenda a Jesucristo? ¿Completamente? ¿Dejando nada atras?

Are we offering our entire souls as an offer to Jesus Christ? Completely? Leaving nothing behind? Maybe we can do a little more!

Quizas podamos hacer un poco más!

I liked his message, and it not only applies to the mission work, because we are servants of Christ for our whole lives. Remember, there is always more we can give Him.

I love you all and hope that you have an amazing week!I'll go ahead and buy a different mp3 then, hopefully I can find a decent one.Well, I gotta go and write my letter to the ward, gosh what am I going to say?

Love,

Elder DeLong

ey!Well

December 6, 2010

Wow,I think this is the first week that dads letter was longer than yours. How was your week mom? My week was good, nothing too exciting happened. We are looking for new people to teach, this last week we were finally able to find some, so that was really good. We did our fast and then on Sunday we have fish...yuck! But things are going good here, we had an investigator go to church, Gina, for the first time. She is a great person, I really hope she gets baptized.

I am really excited to talk to you all this Christmas, not gonna lie. I'm gonna have to figure out what day and time and let you know this next week probably.

We are hoping to have 2 baptisms the 18th, a couple that has been married for 50 years! They are great, like children. But they love going to church. The only challenge is that he smokes, and has been smoking his whole life. But he is already down to smoking only 1 a day, and this week he needs to be completely clean.

Yea, it was fun for Elder Nielson to baptize her, although he almost hit her head on the wall because she is really tall and didn't leave sufficent space. But it all worked out well. No, we never had the turkey dinner...but thats ok, next year ;) The pumpkin pie turned out well (I didn't help him).

Service is good :) I've really come to love serving others here on the mish. Remember that when we are in the service of our fellow beings we are in the service of the Lord (mosiah 4?) But I have really come to like this scripture, D&C 123:17 I think. its a good one.

But I hope that you all have a great week!

I'm always praying for you.

Love,

Elder DeLong

November 29, 2010

Man, I wish that I could have been there for Thanksgiving, I really like that holiday. We still haven't had our dinner here that we are going to have, but I think that Friday we should have it. Elder Nielson made a pumpkin pie here Sunday and it actually turned out really good. So that was fun. But the family of our mission leader is awesome, I love them. It will be tough to have to leave them some day.

The weather here has stayed basically the same, not too hot and not too cold. I love it!

The baptism for Nadia went really well:) We had a god turnout and everything went well, the water was a little cold though. Elder Nielson baptised her, so that was cool for him.

And lots of people came so it was good. The attendance for church just keeps on rising, we had 110 last week. So that has been fun to see.

We went to the beach today as a zone and then had a barbeque afterwards. It was a lot of fun, I got a little burnt. The sun wasn't out at first but then it came out. We played football on the beach in the sand. I liked it.

But this change I have really come to understand the importance of the members in the mission work. With out them it is almost pointless. So I urge each of you to do all that you can to share the gospel with those around you. I thought this was an interesting statistic: The provo mission has the most baptisms. And it's because the members all give references to the missionaries. So keep on looking for those opportunities to share the gospel. I remember when the missionaries would come over and invite us to share the gospel with neighbors and friends, and we are always like 'mmmm, I'll try' but then we forget and don't do anything. So don't forget and you will be a great instrument in the hands of the Lord :)

Well hope you all have a great week and you are always in my prayers. Take care.

Love,Elder DeLong

Oh, and I would recommend getting a Preach My Gospel and reading it. That'd be good. :)

November 22, 2010

There has been a lot of sickness going around here too. I also was a bit sick at the beginning of last week, but I feel good now. Yea, we have3 been seeing a lot of great things by working with the members. The asistance yesterday was 105, pretty cool :) First time that it has been over 100 in a long time. Yea, the Hernandez fam are really cool, I hope we get to keep visiting them. But the country side of Chile is really pretty.

Only one companionship of sisters were taken out. The other one is still here, in the other part of Llo Lleo. We share the building with them. But now I have 6 elders and 2 sisters in my district because the ZL got switched over to the other district. So now we are 8 and 8.

We will have a baptism this Saturday :) Her name is Nadia. She is 13 (but really tall so she looks older) but we reactivated her family and now she is going to get baptized. So we are all excited for that. We have a few other people who are progressing well at the moment, but we are always looking for new people to teach. But I have really grown to love sharing the gospel, I love seeing how the gospel blesses people's lives. Just seeing members who have been strong in the church for years and seeing the happiness that they have, it's great. I'm glad that we have been blessed with the gospel iin our family and I pray that each and every one of us always stays strong and continues to work for the Lord and progress here during our earthly lives.

It will be nice to have those shoes when I get home. I'm pretty sure these will last. My other clothes are hanging in there, should be interesting these next 6 months to see how they do. Aww, I love Thanksgivings. We are actually gong to have a Thanksgiving dinner Sunday with our ward mission leader and his family. They are really cool, definitely one of my favorite families that I have met here in Chile.

But enjoy Thanksgiving, say hi to everyone and remember to read the BOM every day :)

Love you all,con muchisimo amor,

Elder DeLong

November 15, 2010

Hello :)
Thats what I hear every day in the street at least 10 tens, 'Hello!' 'How are you?' Or if they are young people they usually try to swear at us incorrectly, ha. But thats cool that you got snow, I miss the snow. I think the year is boring without the change, it makes life more interesting to have snow.

Yea, we had a really great week here in Llo Lleo. The asistance at church continues to rise, we are really making a focused effort on working with/strengthening the members. We are a team in the work with them and if we don't work together we won't have much success, and even if we have a lot of baptisms, they won't remain in the church without member support. So we have been enjoying that.

You, the members of the church, are just important (if not more) than us full time missionaries. Our main function is teaching, you guys are supposed to do the finding ;) keep up that flame to share the gospel and look for any little opportunities you can to help/serve your fellow brothers and sisters here on the earth.

Yesterday for lunch we went after church with a family (Familia Hernandez) to eat with them and know them a little better. They live really far away from Llo Lleo, part of the area here which is still part of our huge sector, called San Juan. So they took us in their car and we went way out in the rural area. It was awesome, I felt like I was back in MN, going up north or something. And then we got to their house and they had a nice chunk of land and a really nice house. It was the most americanized house I've seen here, and it had that nice new house smell. It was fun.

But so we really liked this family, just wish they didn't live so far so we could visit/work with them more. It's funny cuz they really don't live super far, about like St Francis to the chapel, but here it's far cuz everyone always lives really close. They both work with the youth.

Yea, the sisters got taken out and now we have elders. It's called a white wash. But President took them out because it was just a tough sector, nobody helped them or ever opened the doors for the poor sisters.

I miss being with people that know how to sing, haha. It's hard to believe that Christmas is almost here already..in just a month or so I'll only have 5 more left. Never thought time actually flew as fast as everyone said, but they weren't lying.

That talk from President Scott was one of my favorites. That and President Monson's.

I liked this from Richard G Scott from conference:

“Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith” (Ether 12:6). Thus, every time you try your faith—that is, act in worthiness on an impression—you will receive the confirming evidence of the Spirit. As you walk to the boundary of your understanding into the twilight of uncertainty, exercising faith, you will be led to find solutions you would not obtain otherwise. With even your strongest faith, God will not always reward you immediately according to your desires. Rather, God will respond with what in His eternal plan is best for you, when it will yield the greatest advantage. Be thankful that sometimes God lets you struggle for a long time before that answer comes. That causes your faith to increase and you chararcter to grow. God uses your faith to mold your character. Character is the manifestation of what you are becoming.Strong character results from consistent correct choicesThe bedrock of character is integrity.The more your character is fortified, the more enabled you are to exercise the power of faith".

But the coast is awesome!

I would never want to live here permanently, but to be here for a few months is great. I hope I have a bit longer here on my mission, my guess is I have one more sector after this and thats where I'll end. But we'll see what the Lord has planned for me. I hope you have an amazing week!Love you and pray for you.

Elder DeLong

November 7, 2010

This week was really good, we had our stake conference and a bunch of the missionaries from the zone sang in the stake chior (because they didn't have anyone else really). So that was fun, sure wasn't Mens chorus though haha

Yea, I feel good about the work we've been doing here in Llo Lleo, I'm excited to start another change here. I'll still be here with Elder Nielson, we are happy. We work well together.

A few of the other missionaries in the zone will be changing. The sisters that are in a sector called Barrancas will be switched out for Elders. It has just been a really tough sector on them, so I think that will be good. We have some really big hills here.

Yea, Pres King's daughter is in Rochester and should be finishing in a bit and heading down here. Her dad is going to release her, pretty cool huh?

But thats about it for now. Oh, the family of our ward mission leader, Familia Araya, are really cool (although I'm pretty sure he is going to be called to be the bishop here in a couple weeks, I'm sad I don't want to lose him as our mission leader) but they give us lunch every Friday and we talked to them about doing a Thanksgiving lunch with turkey and everything, that should be pretty cool :) OK well, hope that all is well. The work is going well here, we have a lot of people that we've found that we are excited to teach this change. Have and amazing week, and you are always in my prayers.

Love,Elder DeLong-