Week 41

Wow! We're in the 40's now. How crazy is that? Weeks keep flying by. 

This week was some good fun. I enjoyed the good times that we had. I'm learning so much. I feel so much more full with the gospel growing inside me. It really is opening my eyes to the world and everything that I experience. The gospel is more than just a counsel, or a quick message, It is the way of life we need to live. 

The work with the Investigators this week. 

1     Maritza, her family, and her neighbor. 

First off, to start the week, on Monday we went to visit Maritza and her family. Turns out she brought her neighbor as well. We had an awesome lesson. After we shared some things, they invited us back the next day. We came back and the next day as well. Since they have been sharing with the missionaries for some time, it’s a different kind of approach we have taken. We have been teaching them the doctrine but applying it profoundly. It’s really cool seeing how this family takes it. They haven't accepted to be baptized yet, but we will keep on teaching and extending the invitation.  We invited them to the activity on Thursday and they actually showed up. This week we will keep on working with them. Even though they didn't come this Sunday, we have hope that they will continue listening to us.

2     Juan Santiago, Fabiola, and Lorena

These are the three people working in the side office of the Municipalidad. Juan and Fabiola are a couple and Fabiola is going to have her baby really soon. Lorena is an Evangelical woman and is really interested in what we do. Since they all are 29 years old, We have a really good time visiting them. They are really good people. It’s really just like seeing good old friends every time we pass by. We each gave them their own copy of the Book of Mormon. Fabiola and Lorena were stoked and are still very interested in the book. They are progressing slowly but surely. They didn't accept a baptismal date but they accepted to think about it over the next few days. We are so excited for them. 

Our work with the less actives.

This week we feel like we didn't see much progress within the members. 

The less actives that we visited had a hard time committing to go to church or really do anything. Neither were we able to visit many of them. Everyone seemed to be unreachable this week. No one answered the phone, or the door. It was a bit frustrating, but we stuck to the plans and worked on. Our biggest success was to see Estefania walk in the doors for church. WOW!! My first lesson I had with her, she vowed that she would never go to church again. SHE CAME TO CHURCH THIS WEEK. Her mother, Miriam has been a roller coaster this week. We had a miscommunication on Friday and she came into church and wouldn't shake my hand saying that she was angry with me. By the end of testimony meeting we sorted it out and she forgave us. 

This week for the activity we hosted a talent show! We all had a bit of fun. Elder Martinez and I took ''Radioactive'' by Imagine Dragons and changed the lyrics to tell some stories and jokes about things in Retiro; really just our experiences.  The members liked that. Even though my voice is out of practice and I lack a lot of practice in music in general, it worked out very well. Elder Martinez showed off some of his beat boxing skills, and I played a song I wrote this week called ''Strangers'' on the guitar. None of the members were prepared to give their talents. They resorted to just telling jokes. 

We had an awesome zone activity today! The zone leaders talked to some members in their branch to borrow one of their vans and head up to the Andes Mountains to visit a German village! IT’S WAY UP THERE IN THE MOUNTAINS. It’s a beautiful place. The little village is called the Villa Baviera. When we got there we took another truck up to one of the peaks of the mountains. It was like a Chilean mountain safari ride. The road up the mountain reminded me of the trail we take 4-wheelers up at the cabin. It was just not as rocky and not as steep. The view was great. We had some good fun. We got to play in the snow up there and enjoy being up on a tall mountain. Oh how I missed being up in the mountains. 

Zone activity to the top of the mountain

 Chilean Andes

 Elder Haws

It’s getting colder here in Chile. It’s such a different kind of winter. Everything is just so wet, and it’s cold. Things never dry out, EVER. I am so jealous of all you enjoying summer right now. 

We had small successes this week but we count them as great blessings. I know the Lord is there and he is helping us step by step. I am so grateful to be here and to be learning all these things right now. There is no greater blessing than being on the mission. It has completely changed my life and I will never be able to thank my Heavenly Father and my Savior enough for all they have done for me, and how they have changed me. The gospel saves us and purifies our hearts. I am so grateful to have the restored plan of happiness in my life and for the opportunity I have to share it. There is no greater happiness in this world. 

I love you all so much, and I am so grateful for all of your support. I am so excited hearing all that is happening in your life. I love you all so much. I love you, miss you, and pray for you. I hope you all have a fantastic week.  Until the next. 

Elder Ethan Haws

 The truck that the zone rode to the top of the mountain

 Zone activity (7-7-14)