Ok hello all!
First up is the blessed transfer news: I'm off to Temuco! I'll be in a ward called Caupulican which is well known in this mission for being the most downtown ward there is. It's like literally right in the middle of Temuco and supposedly is kind of tough because there are few houses and a lot of un-enterable apartments but it will be a fun change and challenge. I do worry I may have gone out of the fryingpan and into the fire a little bit as far as sectors go buuuut it's only 6 weeks so Ill make it. The first transfer in any sector always goes really fast so it will be fun. Lots of university students supposedly. My comp will be Elder Ritter from Virginia who I don't really know but he is always directing the music in various mission activities so I think he will be a good singer and we will be able to do some fun music stuff. I always wanted a really musical comp. I think he has a little less than a year in the mission which is cool. I hear he is really nice and funny. I'll be a district leader too which will be a really fun change and I will be able to really pass all of my learning on to a lot of missionaries before the sword of justice descends upon me as in the words of Alma the younger. I was only a district leader 5 weeks and a year ago so it will be cool to get another shot at that. Honestly now with a lot of changes in the mission they pretty much do more than the ZLs and have a lot more one on one contact with the missionaries so that will be cool. I won't be completely in charge of or responsable for things for the first time in a year! Honestly though I really loved my time as a ZL and learned so much from it. I really did love to serve in that way and loved all the missionaries I got to meet that way. I'm just glad everything in the mission gets done in exact accordance with God's will. I think we will be living with the ZLs there who are Elders Huerta and Camp who are good friends of mine so that will be really cool. I'm really stoked and really greatful for this! It will be very cold there though. Temuco is cool though. This week went by really really fast. We started out pretty normal with a good day Tuesday in our sector and some good last meetings too. Wednesday I worked with Elder Lighthall in Las Americas. Hes the one from Irvine It was really fun and we got a lot done. They are always really busy there with lessons and stuff so its really fun to work there. It has kind of a Boca Sur flavor as well which gives me good memories. Elder Lighthall is awesome and has grown a lot. One notable thing that happened is that the hnas from that sector called us to go and quickly give a blessing to an investigator's really disabled son who went suddenly into convulsions during their lesson. It was raining and dark and we ran over there just as the ambulance was getting there and the paramedics were doing their job so we didn't get to give him the blessing there but I'm pretty sure the hnas sent the missionaries close to the hospital over to the ER or something like that. The whole thing was kind of weird to just be witnessing. It was all so sad and I couldn't help but think about how so much hardship and tragedy without the refining power of the gospel in our lives really disolves into thin air compared to suffering with the perspective and peace the Gospel gives. It's hard to explain I guess. I think that without the gospel all of that sadness just seems pointless and cruel. The night ended well with our English class and delivery tacos which were delicious. Elder Lighthall's a great friend by now. Thursday was another intercambio with Mulchen because their district leader didn't have the time to do one with them in these last three weeks or something. I went to Mulchen with Elder Duke who's in his 3rd transfer. Best thing ever is that they are one of the few houses of Elders that has a real oven and the real miracle is that the night before they had baked real chocolate chip cookies wow. So delicious. It was so so so cold that day there though. It gets dark really quick here now too. Elder Duke is really cool. He doesn't have the best Spanish but he really shows a lot of really good other abilities like planning and obedience so it was cool to see how well he was trained by Elder Howes in our zone. Mulchen is really beautiful too because it's in between two different rivers. Friday we had a zone attack in Las Americas so we all participated in that together as a zone. I was with Elder Cullotta who had to do a baptismal interview for an invetigator there so we spent the majority of the time doing that. It is always cool to see the zone get together and work together. Elder Culotta is one of my best friends here by now too. Saturday was good but I was getting pretty anxious about the transfer news due that night, it being my last transfer etc. It wasn't dissapointing though I'm stoked about that. Sunday I had to give a talk again. The ward had literally just gotten home from a big temple trip so I took the opportunity to talk on eternal families and I think it went well. It was cool to see a lot of members and especially some recent converts come back. I also mentioned my transfer which surprised everyone because they thought I was going to finish in their ward hahaha. It's always kind of sad to say goodbye. Thats one thing I'm super tired of about the mission. Chileans are just hard to say goodbye to. I.\'m not sure why. Especially this ward. Shoot not sure what else to say. Im really grateful for this transfer mostly. I'm excited for a fresh start and new faces and turf and I think it will really get and keep me excited and working hard. As far as spiritual thoughts go for this week I'm not sure. There have been a lot. I think sometimes I get kind of overwhelmed by the eternity of God's plan for me. Maybe it happens to you too? I think about how He knows me and His plans for my future and the many things He has blessed me with in the past and it just gets overwhelming. People keep asking how I feel about going into my last transfer and I think in the past I would have had a lot of conflicting answers but now all I can think of saying is "greatful". For all of it honestly. The good and the bad of my mission. For what I've learned and especially for how I've changed for the better. Sometimes I feel like the mission is a great analogy for a lifetime, and I think that if I could live my life like I lived my mission and grow old with the same feeling of peace and gratitude and fulfillment I have now, that would be just perfect. A scripture keeps coming to mind. I think it might be revelation. I keep thinking about the parable of the talents and when the landowner says to the faithful servants that they have been faithful over little and that he will put them over much (sorry I can only think of it in spanish not sure how it goes in English...). What a comforting principle for the eternities of our existence. It was always my goal to be able to finish my mission and be able to say I gave it all and even though Im not done yet I feel like I'm on track to really be able to say that with integrity before God. I think my understanding of that type of consecration has really improved too, in the the context of a better understanding of God's mercy. I think if there is one lesson I learned this transfer its that God really is merciful. Not sure if this letter has made anything of sense sorry. I really love you guys all a lot and your letters too. Macy looks beautiful dancing too. I hope you're all doing great! I'm doing awesome here! Elder Trevor Smith
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2/5/2024 06:28:07 am
Buenos días señor / señora,
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Elder Trevor SmithElder Trevor Smith is a Mormon missionary in the Chile Concepcion Sur mission, the same mission where his dad served. Although this is Trevor's own mission, he grew up hearing about the beautiful land of Chile and the loving people that inhabit it. These are the letters from his experience there. Archives
July 2017
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