Week 37

Map of Sector Retiro

Wow, wow, wow, wow!

This week has been the biggest turning point in my entire mission! I cannot believe the outpouring of blessings that we have been able to receive.

To start the week I was a bit worried about getting a Latino companion. I still haven't mastered the language, but I can get along pretty well. I had a lot of doubts that I would be able to lead the sector well enough. Through all the hard times I have been completely lost on what to do here and how to get the needed spark.

On Monday, we received news that Elder Price would be leaving to Chiguayante the next morning and Elder Martinez would be coming to replace him. We basically went throughout the day packing up and preparing for the cambio. The whole afternoon was spent visiting a few families and saying our goodbyes. We finished out by having a family home evening with the Uribe's.

On Tuesday, we rolled out of bed and headed out the door. All morning long it was pouring rain. We had to drag the suitcases through mud and puddles all the way to the bus stops and wait for the bus to get there. It was exhausting! We loaded everything on and soon enough we were in Parral at the terminal. We said our goodbyes and Elder Price, Hancock, and others boarded the bus and took off to Concepción. Elder Froerer, Kemner and I stood there in the freezing bus terminal for 3 hours waiting for our companions. We told stories about the mission and Elder Froerer and I had a good time recounting our time in Nonguen. We had good times. After a while our companions showed up. Elder Martinez was first to get off and we quickly took our stuff to the senior companions (The Mora's) car. We drove to Retiro and unpacked. We went to Rosa Gonzales' sister for lunch. She owns a really nice restaurant so we ate really good. It was just your average meat chunks, potatoes, and soup. We finished up and headed home. After prepping for the day we were out and at work. We went around and visited Juan and Nancy, Gladys, the Campos family, the Saldaña's, and the Abarzua's. Elder Martinez got along so great with everyone. It was soooooooo good to see the members so excited for someone new. Maybe we are going to see some excitement and some fire in the branch.

Elder Martinez is so cool. He’s from Mexico City, the DF (Distrito Federal). He was born in the church and has a super strong testimony. He is a mixed martial arts cage fighter and is a UFC champion in Mexico. Because of that he’s a pretty big dude, but about my height. For work he owns a shop and builds and engineers his own motorcycles with his family. Just like those TV shows like ''American Choppers'' he builds some pretty cool bikes and then sells them. It’s pretty cool. We hit it off really well and are already good friends.

In the mornings he's been pushing me through his exercise routine. IMAGINE THAT. I'm being trained by a champion cage fighter. These exercises are brutal! I'm going to lose all that extra weight from all the bread and potatoes real quick!

Through the whole week it rained non- stop. It was insane to see water falling from the sky at such a speed and at such an amount. I didn't think it was possible to rain this much. Looks like the whole next week will be full of rain as well.

The whole week we saw miracle after miracle. We were able to touch the hearts of less actives that never had let us into their houses. We finally got into the Sepulveda's house. They suddenly accepted us with open arms and are ready to start going back to church. Same with the Saldaña's. We visited with nearly all the less actives and members namely, Eliana, Veranía, The Campos', Gladys, German, Miriam, Sepulveda's, and the Sotomayor family. We saw miracle after miracle. To my amazement, we were able to find out the needs of every single person we met with. They just opened up to us. We found out why they hadn't been going to church. It is mainly because they had been offended by some people and they just don't have a testimony. We were able to be on the Lords errand this week. It was really cool to see the relation of appointments falling and then in response we visited people that were in greater need. We committed 8 families to get to church. We put down strong commitments. We were also able to find 5 new investigators in the midst of working with so many members. We are excited to see so many other opportunities for investigators here in Retiro. Elder Martinez and I are excited to get this branch going. We are here to change this branch forever. It’s finally time to find excitement here and see what  we can do as servants of the Lord. We have worked together really well. It’s going to be a great cambio and a time of my life I will never forget.

I have learned so much about myself, life, and my position as a servant of the Lord. I am figuring out how to play this game. I have a deepening testimony that we are nothing without following the spirit. As members of the church we all desperately need that constant communication with our Heavenly Father to seek his will. And even more importantly we need to act on the guidance we are given. It is the way to save Heavenly Father's children.

I’m so excited to continue this week and see what we can accomplish with divine guidance and help. I am so excited for the time to progress!!

I’m so grateful for all of you and for all your love thank you so much for all that you do for me and your love and concern for me through all the weeks. I love you all so much. I am nothing without you. I love you and miss you so much. Until next week!

Elder Ethan Haws