Plan Piloto

Yesterday, around 7pm, we get an email at the office from the Secretary of the Area Presidency: "All meetings with Elder Evans this weekend have been cancelled. Because of a greater calling he was needed back in the States immediately. Sorry for any inconveniences and have a great weekend!"

But that's ok cuz two weeks ago we saw Elder Nelson :) But Pdte was able to tell us that the Plan Piloto (a.k.a. "El Rescate" in our mission) has been approved for all of South America. That's awesome!! (from Mom: by this, I think he means a program to work with all the inactive members that they rolled out in Chile a little while back)

And to calm everyone's curiosity, yes, we did get the van open without having to call any professionals :D (from Mom: Last week Daylon sent us a video of him and another Elder trying to get into their car when the keys were locked inside)

Questions:

1. Are you warm now? What is the average day time temperature? We finally just this week got a bit of night time chill in the air, but its still 71 or so during the day.

It's a comfortable 70-80 degrees during the day, maybe dipping down to the upper 60s at night. Come the end of December it should be a good temp for me, but two weeks later I'll be suffering in the cold again :P

2. If the Bertagnas have a good oven in their apt, I suggest you try making your famous pretzels for the office one time before you leave. Cement your legacy, you know?  Your thoughts?

Mine is better (or at least it's bigger). The only hard part is I'm not sure if all the ingredients are available here in Chile and I'm scared to "estimate" the oven temp based on the flame (the thermometer you sent me last year got lost in my move :/)

3. Do you drive a stick or automatic right now?  So much for your 'walking' mission!

The van was automatic and it's been in the shop for about two months because there's dirt and water in the pistons in the engine. The truck (our only car right now) is stick, but I don't drive it too often. Although (and feel free to tell this to Tricia) I haven't stalled it since my first day driving it way back when I first got to the office :D

4. What will you be doing for Thanksgiving this week? We will be doing our usual dual-feast interspersed with some Balluff football and the annual foot race. Tony has been running 5ks in preparation for schooling Trevin!

On Thursday we're going up to Pdte's house from 3 to about 9 :D And that's about it haha. In the morning we have to be in the office because they're coming to clean the carpets, but other than that Pdte wants us to take the day off. The day after, however, we need to get back to work haha.

And that's about it. I don't want to say it was a boring week just in case we end up having to go to the Hospital again :P

- Elder Daylon Crider

Elder Nelson's Visit

Elder Crider's Weekly Email

Daylon's Mission Email

10:33 AM

To: Mom, Dad, Jenny Harris

Well. I just shook hands with an Apostle of Jesus Christ. He also gave us an Apostolic blessing in fluent Spanish after having a translator for his whole talk! I think that was the coolest thing ever! 

Anyway, accompanying him were Elder Christensen and Elder Viñas (along with their wives).

First I'll respond to your (Mom's) email, then I'll talk about how it went this morning.

(We got Daylon's return home itinerary this week and I wondered about when he would be released): I'm sure he'll want to release me quickly, but as long as it's before 7 I'll be fine. I just want to make it to Trevin's game.

(Mom told Daylon she couldn't have made it through this particularly chaotic week without some help from extended family): We're definitely not leaving Arizona and we aren't planning on leaving Mesa.

Sis and Elder Christensen spoke in Spanish and talked about the joy (not just happiness) that comes from being exactly obedient and helping others.

Sis Nelson talked about knowing our pre-mortal selves and our eternal "to do" list. She also reminded us that we made covenants with God before coming to Earth (like serving a mission in Chile, being the Deacon's Quorum President, etc.) and how we should pray to have the Spiritual eyes to see the ancestors of those we share the Gospel with. They are always present because they're pleading that those on earth will accept the Gospel that they now know to be true.

Elder Nelson was definitely following the Spirit because I'm still trying to find the connection between everything he talked about haha. He started by talking about wanting to go off Sis Nelson's topic and give us a vision like God did to Joseph Smith. He told us that if we could look into Heaven for just 5 minutes, we would know more about a subject than if we studied it all our earthly life. He explained the Greek and Hebrew meanings of "I am" - how it's both a subject and a verb that means the same thing in past- present- and future-tenses.

     Then he mentioned how Eve was the crowning center-piece off the Creation.

     After he asked to show, by raising hands, what tribes we are from. All but about 4 of the 500+ missionaries present are from either Ephraim or Manasseh. He explained how that right there was the fulfilling of the Abrahamic Covenant - that through Joseph would the gather of Israel happen. He talked a good amount of time on the Abarhamic Covenant. Baptism is the gate we enter in and the Temple is where we receive a fullness of the blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant.

     He ended by talking about how if someone we want to marry doesn't put the Lord first in EVERYTHING, then they are not the one we should marry - it will only end in conflict.

So pretty much it was amazing :D

Let me know what the bishop says about my release!

Lots of love,

- Elder Daylon Crider

Photo Bomb!

Great seats for the meeting!