Was it Thanksgiving Last Week?

First thing first, an awesome scripture I read this week! Alma 39:11, more specifically the last phrase (I don´t remember exactly what it says, sorry). Alma here is reprimanding his son Coriántun (I don´t remember what it is in English haha) and in this particular verse is talking about the bad example he set. The people don´t want to listen to Alma because of the bad example Coriántun set. So...does your example help people come closer to the gospel, or drive them away? Do we have the Spirit of God shining brightly within us enough to make people want to learn why we are so happy? I sent a letter out today for Christmas that has a bit to do with all this :)

Anyway, if my comp lets me use his computer for a bit, there´ll be new videos and pictures (about 20, if I counted right) so let´s hope and pray :)  (Nope, we only got 2 - he said he ran out of time and will try to post more next week)

Sorry I didn´t write much about E´ Holland last week. We just didn´t have enough time. But you should all realize that it´s me. I´ve never been good about giving details :P Ummm.....I dunno. He spoke a lot about staying active after we get home...umm...I didn´t take many notes (besides the fact that I don´t have them right here) because I was so entrapped in what he was saying. If I remember I´ll bring my journal next week and write a few more specifics.

We haven´t had mail for the past 3 weeks, but we should get it on Wednesday, so next week I´ll probably have a big list of thank-yous :)

Oh....this past Thursday was Thanksgiving? (he's so confused) Mish, no me di cuenta. I don´t really feel like I´m missing holidays or football season because down here it´s about 90-95 degrees. Granted, there is a nice breeze and it´s not like the ones in AZ where it´s like opening an oven :P

 

Companions:

Elder S.  - 23, Colombia, he was baptized a year and a half ago, but he´s super cool. (He´s the darker one in the photos if I got them put up)

Elder J. - 20, Colombia, he was baptized at 13 and right now is the DL

Pres. Barreiros told him the other day to prepare me well because on the 19th, when he has changes (there´s a few missionaries who extended their missions, but Pres is sending them home a bit early so they can have Christmas at home and J. is going to replace one of them), Pres is going to make me DL! I´m scared out of my gringo skin to be DL, but if it´s what the Lord wants, who am I to rebel?

Hopefully I got the videos and pics up for you :) If I have time, I´ll make a short video for each of you for Christmas, but no matter when I put them online, NO ONE is allowed to see them until CHRISTMAS DAY :)

Lots of love,

- Elder Daylon Crider

 

 

Back in the City

..........................................After a loooooooong almost 6 months, I finally left La Isla de Maipo! As I was saying my goodbyes, a lot more members cried than I thought would. It made me understand how important missionaries are not only to the investigators, but to the members also when Hna Loyola said "Gracias por su ejemplo" y su esposo me dijo "Estoy agradecido por haberle conocido y ojalá que puede seguir ayudando a las personas como había hecho conmigo y mi familia". It made me feel important :)

(translation: Thank you for your example. And her husband said, "I am grateful to have known you and hopefully we can continue helping people as you have done to me and my family ")

And now I have the opportunity to be back in the city where life is a little more upbeat. Speaking of which, the computers in the city are sometimes super chanta (including today) so I can´t put on any of the pictures or videos I have :/

I´m in the Zone República, but as to my actual sector within that Zone....no idea :P haha, oh and sorry to break it to you now, but instead of it just being me and my companion, we´re a trio.....I´m not the biggest fan of being in a trio....

About Elder Holland: We laughed, he cried, everyone had a good time :) Oh, and after about 20 minutes of yelling at us and threatening to put pepper in our empanadas, I´m definitely going to make sure all the friends I make in the mission stay active after they return home (funny side note: they had to call maintanence to build a new pulpit because Elder Holland broke it from hitting it so hard!! That how much he hates inactive RMs)

I sent a birthday letter to dad last week and hopefully Elder R will send the bday letter to you and the package I asked him to send for me. I didn´t want to carry all the stuff I want to send home to a new sector just for one day :P

Hopefully all goes well this week :)

Love,

- Elder Daylon Crider

Teaching, but not English

For the first time in 5 months we challenged someone to be baptized!!! Actually, two people, Norma and Carolina!! They were both touched by the Plan of Salvation because 8 years ago they lost their mom and they still haven`t found peace. Please pray for them!! Unfortunately I`m pretty sure I`m getting changes, but their fecha is por el 21 de Diciembre. ¡Ojalá que lo lograrán! ............sorry! Like I said a few weeks ago, when I get excited it`s just easier to talk in Spanish. Hahaha, funny story actually, I had to stop giving English Classes because it`s just too hard for me now :P I don`t speak English! And when I do, to help my comp learn, my tongue feels really wierd and after about 15 minutes of English my head hurts, just like it did when I was learning Spanish hahaha. I`m definitely NOT looking forward to having to speak English when we Skype at Christmas, sorry!

Congradulations on finishing the Book of Mormon!! It only took about 2 and a half years, but hey! We did it! :D (this was our family scripture study he's talking about. We were so proud we finally finished that we sent Daylon a video of us reading the last verse together). And those are some pretty impressive looking plates, mom! (Rice Krispie treats made out to look like the Golden Plates) I`ll try to send a video home next week so Alyza can see Dayday again ;) haha

Alyza!! Why are you such a big girl!! You aren`t allowed to grow up!! Actually that goes for all three girls! Your my little sisters! Emphasis on the LITTLE!! Crazy girls....thinking they can just grow up...tsk tsk tsk...

Haha, yes a flahdrive is the same as a pendrive. They say pendrive down here so I completely forgot what it`s called back home, sorry :P And the 16 will work wonderfully! Did you happen to make a copy of all the files before you sent it?

Sorry for making you search so hard for my shirt, but thank you SO much for sending it!! it`ll be wonderful to play soccer in :)

My favorite hymn would probably be....Come, come ye saints (but obviously in Spanish haha)

Lots of love,

- Elder Daylon Crider

More Sewing Dilemmas

MOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!! Can you add some black thread to the package?? Walmart always seems to be out and none of the members have black, or any other dark color :P These stupid bikes keep ripping my pants and I´ve had to restitch them who knows how many times in the past few months, so naturally I´m out of thread haha

Yes, that photo is exactly why I´m not looking forward to changes in two weeks :P (from Mom: I told him those buses don't seem very roomy from the pic he sent)

...........and yes, there was a new photo for me in Google Drive.....Alyza Bea Crider! Why you gotta be a crazy nakedey baby!?!?! Hahahahaha (from Mom: One day the house was too quiet, so I went to check on Alyza and found her naked in the bathroom sink, "taking a bath". Of course I had to take a pic of her to send to Daylon)

The family that we contacted about two weeks ago...well, I have no idea what their last name is, because here everyone has two last names, and there´s about 3 different families living there, so there last name is something like.. Espinoza Rojas Santander Riquelme Pino Perez Cancino Cerda Ortiz (or something like that haha)

So, to add to the list of cool people I know, we met Luis the other day (a less-active member) and he drives a Micro (which is the "bus" of Chile´s public transportation system) and he doesn´t charge us! (Granted, it´s about 80 cents, but hey, for a missionary that´s a lot!)

So, what I got last week:

Packages --> Nanci, Grandpa, Kristin, Gigi = birthday package x2 (Your letter said you sent 4, and so far I´ve received 3)

Letters --> Tricia (sent: 19 Sept)

Crider (5 Oct)

Jenny (12 Oct)

Joyze Curtis (7 Oct)

Not this week but next Elder Holland is going to speak to us!!!! He and Elder Cristofferson are here in Chile all next week, and our MP just got back from meetings for almost 2 weeks with them in the Area office. ¡Ojalá que no nos da muchos palos!

Con amor,

- Elder Daylon Crider