January 16, 2012

Well hello everybody!

This week was pretty good. We're starting our last week of the cambio so it's crazy because time has flown by! It's a little ridiculous but so be it. Sounds like everybody is having fun up there in the rest of the world though! what with cleaning and rearranging and all that jazz. I hope work is going well for everybody and that people aren't being too lazy...... Anyways...

So yeah the beginning of last week was kinda chanta... meaning we had 1 lesson last monday, and a few in the days following. It was a test of patience, but it was kind of hilarious because there was a dog following us and barking for like 15 minutes straight (no lie) and right when we were about to destroy it (not literally) It got a burr on it's side so it had to pull it off with his mouth then it got stuck in his mouth and we laughed and it stopped following us. It was sweet. Talk about God having a sense of humor right?

We are really working with members here, people are getting down about life and the church and stuff so some of them are becoming inactive and it is lame... really. People just need to love each other more and be happy. and I guess the president has been president here for like 9 years because there isn't anybody else. Talk about a LONG time in one place trying to work with everything.... yeah anyways. But there are two members who are coming back from their missions in the next little bit so they should stir some things up (you'd hope right?) and all will be well.

I have lived this last month on like zero money. Because we haven't gone back to Punta Arenas to get more so I had that 50$ that you sent me and that was all. But I lived. I've eaten Oatmeal for breakfast for weeks and I'm about to run out... :/ but it's cool. Oh yeah about that. If you gave money to my companion you can leave it there and we will get it out next week, if not you can put it into my account because I got the card and pulled out the money and it all worked just fine. But I will need you to put the money in my account before Monday so we can go there and pull it out and come back to Por Venir and be happy for the next month and a half :) So yeah. That's all about that

Oh hey Dad I have a question. Because everybody makes Guacamole down here but not like the guacamole at home so i'm wondering what you put in guacamole when you make it? So that when I want to make it I can make it delicious. haha.

And I asked a little while ago but y'all prolly forgot but I would like it if you sent that video of me opening my mission call letter. Mission president found my companion's video online and we watched it so I thought it'd be fun to watch mine too. That's all.

Well I'm learning tons of things. I finished Doctrine and Covenants and I'm reading teachings of the prophet Joseph Smith and Articles of Faith. So lots of information for me. It's sweet. I have to live up to the reputation I have about knowing alot about scriptures and stuff... Haha.

That's all really. We only had like 16 people in church this last week but we got our 92 year old investigator to come with us. That guy is hilarious! He swears sometimes and stuff But I don't think he really knows any better... It is what it is though right? We just have to teach him Really Clearly. but it's cool. We told our zone leader that we were teaching a 92 year old and he said "does he have a baptismal date or a death date!?" so we laughed. Haha we're awesome right?

Well that's all. My whole week went alright I guess. I keep learning from everything and I hope I am getting better.

Talk to you all next week! Remember to answer my questions and stuff :P

Love you all.

Elder Bassett (Pressen out)

January 9, 2012

So this last week went pretty well. We mostly taught like members who are less active but we did find some new people and stuff has been looking alright. We just have to get them to pray and go to church, that's the biggest issue we have come up with. Because it's been like everybody's issue. SO that's that. We'll just have to promise them the blessings that they want. Because that's what we do. They say they want something so we say "That's cool, get baptized and you can have it" Because it's true.

Thanks for all the emails! I feel very in the loop now haha. Sounds like everything is working out up there in the northern parts of the world. I'm glad you all enjoyed new years and stuff. Happy Birthday to Devin tomorrow! I don't know if he reads the emails I send (but it sounds like him and Ethan aren't because of the emails they sent) So yeah oh well.

I still haven't gotten the package you have sent, It hasn't even gotten to Punta Arenas as far as I've heard but at this point there is nothing we can do about it haha.

Turns out I've gotta work on being less prideful. I dunno I have a feeling that pride might be hereditary.... Just saying :P But my companions tell me things sometimes that I don't believe so I've been called a pharisee a couple of times now because I ask "where did you find that" or "where does it say that" (Thing is my companion says that to people in the street all the time.... Whatevs) So yeah. I'm the pharisee because if I haven't read it and they can't tell me where it came from I don't believe them

So things are going kind of slow here. I have noticed the timing of God with us but not really the workings of incredible miracles in the investigators. He is just telling us "You need to baptize this person" and then the person isn't in the house when we go over there. Lame right. So we have to have more faith and keep it up and then we'll get a baptism right? all's well that ends well.

So There isn't a whole lot to write this week. Its crazy that Devin is turning 15. I hope everything goes well with Brandon and kuwait and Tiff with her BF and all that jazz. I'm hungry so we are going to go to lunch soon..... I finished the book of mormon in spanish this last week and I'm almost done with D&C.... We read a lot on the mission I love it. I'm trying to be the best missionary I can be and I will work on my pride :) haha

That's really all though. I love you all and will talk to you next week!

Elder Bassett

January 2, 2012

Hey how is everybody doing? I'm doing good. Obviously. Kus I'm always good haha. We went to Punta Arenas for the zone conference and then came back, We were going to go to las Torres again but they caught on fire and closed. You can all imagine how much a fire would do there, Especially Pierson because he knows what the wind is like there.... So yeah. That sucks.

This week was kind of lame as far as working goes because of the holidays, we went and hung out with some members for the New Years Eve and New Years Day and because we were in the boat going to Punta Arenas and back we obviously didn't do any work in that. But it was cool going back to my last sector for a day even though we felt like we were "giving Juice" there. Bahaha. Chileanisms translated to English.... Anyways.

I had another interview with the mission president. It went well. I'm still a good missionary :P haha the interviews I have with him are the best because we just talk about whatever comes to mind. Last time he was like "Hey how are you doing how are you with the schedule I know missionaries have issues with that some times. Have you eaten Crab here yet? I love crab" So it was pretty awesome. This time he asked how my Spanish was coming and said that he thought it was coming well.

Thanks Brandon for sending me the music stuff. Me and my companion have a lot of music but we're being responsible about it, if it takes our mind off focus we delete it. So you said you didn't think we could listen to the music but if we decide it's music we shouldn't have we delete it so no te preocupes. Ha. Spanish. I enjoyed skype that was cool to see you all. My companion said that you all look different than you do in the picture I have in the house from before I left. He said that Grandpa looks "like a baller", I think it is because of his beard.

We are getting along well though I love it here in Por Venir even though there really isn't anything. This P-day we are going to do some shopping and stuff and then go back to the house and read so it's pretty sweet right?

I sent some letters home today... I still haven't gotten my package... Nobody has gotten baptized since I got here.... We do have some people working on it though. Actually we found a family who is pretty cool, their Dad is a member, the Mom was baptized but no paperwork was done and she doesn't have any pictures of it so It's kinda like it didn't happen, but she wants to be baptized and her children aren't baptized either but they are receptive. So we should get like 4 of them baptized real quick. That'd be awesome. So it'll happen. It's all about faith right?

That's kind of all though that happened recently. When something Exciting happens I'll let you know.... Did I tell you about the member who answered the door drunk without pants? I don't think so... Well that happened. It was interesting to say the least hahaha....

That's really all though now :P I'll talk to you next week. Hopefully I'll have more to talk to about if you email me :)

Love you all. Talk to you next week.
Elder Bassett

December 24, 2011

So there really isn't anything to write today since I am going to call you in 3 and a half hours. Well okay I am going to call the family not everybody but you get the point. But. I'll fill everybody in with some info I guess...

This week went well I'm getting used to the sector and everything I know where all of the important things are at least haha. Nothing really exciting happened...

We found some really good people who are going to be cool investigators. Me and my companion are doing well teaching them so they understand and in the end it will be obvious that they need to get baptized so if they understand it they're gonna do it. Pretty sure. So I was thinking about what I should add in this email earlier and really can't think of anything important to ask or tell... I've almost finished the Book of Mormon in English and Spanish so that's pretty cool. I've also read most of D&C and Genesis and Exodus... I kinda skipped alot of stuff though because really how important is it to know how many holes Moses put in the 3rd Curtain on the right hand side of the inner court of the tabernacle. (Yes, I did that on purpose).

SO yeah. That's that. Turns out I left a few things in my last sector, which I'm gonna get back but for now i'm kinda missing my tooth brush and razor... I'm still shaving and brushing my teeth promise. but i would have liked to have my ipod with me this whole time. Like I said I'm gonna get it back but it still is lame I forgot it.

This is the best place in the world though for me to be. Talking with my companion we've figured out that the gospel really makes people smarter. It's pretty awesome. Just noticing in ourselves and in the investigators that we get smarter the more we study the gospel. So if anybody feels dumb who reads this just read the Book of Mormon and you'll get smarter :) it's true. Oh yeah. to add to what books I've read here I read Jesus the Christ, Our Search for Happiness, and Our Heritage. and there is this book called the day of defense, written by a missionary and basically answers any question another church might have about our beliefs and how they are all in line with what the Bible teaches. Because people think we don't go along with the Bible. Pfft. Silly people. Anyways. It's a pretty sweet book. I want to read more, because the more I read the more I feel like I need to know more. Haha. I know we're supposed to focus on what our investigators need but I read Jesus the Christ and the more I read the more questions came up that I could answer because of Jesus the Christ. So yeah.

Por Venir is pretty chill. Well... Really, there's like nobody here. But it's cool I like it here. Their Christmas traditions are different, they have small parade like things which are lead by a vehicle (truck, crane, whatever) with Santa Clause in it throwing candy to the kids and he is followed by like 12 cars all with balloons in the windows and honking their horns. It's funny. We haven't gotten any candy from him though. Unfortunately.

I hope everything is going well on the other side of the PLANET! That's still fun to know that I'm farther south than like everybody else on the planet. Baha.

Well. That's really all. I don't have much to tell.... I hope the Hydrogen fuel injection things are going well. Don't die blowing them up. I hope it's hot in Arizona (HA) because it's not here. Actually on the 21st (the first day of summer here) it hailed in Punta Arenas. ridiculous right? Whatevers though. I'll talk to y'all next P-day. and the family in 3 hours.

Love you all.

Elder Bassett

December 19, 2011

So yeah first off yes I have been moved to a different sector. One that Ex Elder Pierson (Baha) already has been to. We left my last sector on Thursday and got here and started working. Although we didn't have money so we used some of my companion's personal money. I don't know anything about if I have received that card because Yes first it goes to the mission home and they send it to Punta Arenas and I've heard that it's very rare that anything is sent from Punta Arenas to us so we have to go there and get it. But yeah that's the way it is. We have to go back there go get money anyways because here there aren't any international ATM's so the mission cards don't work here. It's pretty super right? Yeah so if anybody wanted to look up where I am (Meaning probably Britt) I'm on the bottom half of the Island Tierra del Fuego because the top half is owned by Argentina. Everybody in the mission was like "it's super boring there. Test of Patience" and I said "Bring it on" And Pierson says it's the best and he's jealous so Ya know. I'll go and Do. 1 Ne 3:7. The Book of Mormon is the best.

Yeah my companion is really cool we get along well we've got a lot in common like he plays the piano (better than me. pfft) and likes to sing and we like the same kind of music. It's pretty good that we're together because we are gonna do some good work together I'm sure of it.

Nothing super exciting has happened here as of yet. We had some guy yell at us though the other day it was pretty funny. There are some REALLY short people here. Just saying. Especially between me and my companion who is 6'1" haha so we're huge compared to everybody else. It's hilarious. ummmm Okay so as for news. Since I have no Idea about the money card We have an Idea because my companion's family lives in Logan so you can all get a hold of his family and work out putting money in his account because I am going to need some soon. If not just to pay back my comp and have emergency money here but yeah if somebody could call them and work that out like this week before Saturday it'd be cool (which reminds me, We're going to call this Saturday around 4:00 our time. I am pretty sure we're still only three hours off because we changed time also. Right now I'm typing and it says it is 12:12 so you can check that with whatever time it is when you receive this. I have to cut this email short because my companion needs to write and we use the same computer and we have lunch in 15 minutes. and lunch is important. Baha. But anyways somebody needs to call my comp's family and work out sending money to him. His mom's name is Leslie and the phone numbers are 801-628-9836 (cell) 435-753-4120 (home) so if you call them and work that out that would be cool. If you put like 150 in the account I should be good for a long time. :) so yeah. We'll talk Saturday! (they changed next week's pday to Saturday also so I think I will be writing to you then too? Kinda usless since we'll be talking too... Whatever.)

Love you all. Talk to you soon.

Elder Bassett