more pics!

Bautismo Jeison - This is when him and Elder Cook came out of the water. fun fun!

Guatita - there you have it. Delicious Cow stumach chopped up in bite sized bits with tomato sauce and mashed potatoes and onions. It was DELICIOUS!!!

The Mission Chile, Viña Del Mar

Spiritually pumped up!

Rippin, roarin, ready to roll.

Hello there kinsfolk, how's life? I'm doing just fine and dandy. Life is good, the work is good, and the mission is good. This week we got our changes a little bit early, but don't worry, there's absolutly no change. Elder Cook and I are staying here in Aldebarán. Fun fun. Another 6 weeks of awesome.

So this week we had our conference with Elder Oaks. It was a blast. The initial plan was to take individual pictures with him, but due to lack of time, we just took one with the whole mission together. It was spectacular. He talked a lot about his personal studies, and a little about tithing. Something he said we could ilustrate is the following formula:

90% income + blessings > 100% income

Neat, huh? Sorry ma, I didn't have the chance to tell him that I'm Blanchard Dixon's grandson. In fact, we didn't get to shake his hand. Due to the whole Human Influenza thing going down, all we got was a friendly elbow bump. Also fun. He was getting really into it. It's so amazing to see how happy the gospel makes people. He's so humble too... We all stood up when he entered the room, and he said, "Now, when you all stood up for me when I came in, you stood up out of respect for my mantle, and not for me. I understand that." Wow! What humility! It was a pretty powerful presence. His wife is adorable.

As far as the work is concerned, we found ourselves a less active family with unbaptized childrens! woo! And they're so excited to come back to church. They all came to church yesterday (except 1 son who had his last game of soccer). Turns out the dad used to be part of a bishopric, which I think makes him a High Priest, but I'm not sure. Back in the day I used to think that the missionaries were wrong in baptizing everything that moved. Some 15-20 years ago, Viña Del Mar was the highest baptizing mission in the world, and like 70% of all those are inactive. However, most of our work now is reactivation / completing families. It's funny to see how the Lord knows things end from beginning. Most of these people would not be receptive to the gospel if they weren't baptized before. Well, let's do it!

Keep up the good work people. Love ya lots. Peace.

Elder Horspool

So many conferences!

Good News!!

Hi everyone! How are you all? I'm good, don't worry about me. Sorry that the letter is coming out later, we had a conference this morning with about 80% of the mission. It was good stuff. I'm sure that some of you are aware that we'll be receiving a new mission president next week. He's from Washington State. His name is President Gelespy, or something like that. Word has it that he's a dentist and served his own mission in Argentina. Apparently his wife doesn't speak a lick of spanish. That'll be fun. So President Wilhelm said some goodbyes, and Sister Wilhelm as well. They were without a doubt the best thing that has happened to this mission ever, as they duplicated the number of baptisms over the course of their three years.

Last Tuesday we received notice of another conference. Elder Dallin H. Oaks is coming to Chile! We're having a whole-mission-conference Wednesday (in 2 days). Woohoo! We have to get there at 8:30 in the morning and we're going to be taking pictures with him. As far as I know, the program goes as follows: Elder Oaks and his wife, Elder Corbridge (of the 1st Quorum of the 70) and his wife, and President Wilhelm and his wife. I'm stoked.

Well, as far as missionary work goes, we had a baptism this last week. Jeison Arce is his name. He's 18, and was introduced to the gospel by his girlfriend. He has plans to get sealed in the temple to her, but we'll see if we can't send him on a mission first. I'd send pictures, but I forgot the cable to connect my camera to the computer. I'm a doofus =(. Well, next week.

e'horspool

I forgot...

One more thing. I forgot. We ate cow stomach this week (Guatita, as the chileans call it). But I forgot my camera. Until next week!

e'horspool

'Cause we're s'posed to...

Long Autumn...

Hi everyone! Top of the mornin' to ya! I hope you all had a successful week. Elder Cook and I are doing just fine. He sends his love to each of you.

So this week I learned a lot of the power and influence that people have over one another. The Zone I'm in right now is full of really young missionaries. They all seem like little kids! There's only 3 of us over a year in the mission, Elder Horspool, Elder Cook, and Elder Hale (who goes home to Kinston, North Carolina this next week. He plays the Mountain Dulcimer.) But anywho, I'm kind of realizing more and more that all the lil' folks, look up to us a lot. If I'm being serious, they're serious. If I'm in a playful mood, so are they. Bah! It's kind of annoying. But I guess that's part of life. We have to be a good influence in the lives of others. Also, as a missionary in general, the entire world sees us as examples of how the church is. Official representatives of the Church. I think I'm finally realizing exactly what that means. Little by little. Seems to me that our lives change around us without us realizing it. Well, may all the changes be good. I'm gonna end this rant with a scripture:

1 Tim. 4: 12

12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

e'horspool

A bundle of sticks.

Big Fun in Little Belloto

Hi everyone! How ya doin'! I'm absolutely great. It's warming up again, which is awesome. Everyone is still freaking out because there has been no rain yet, and we have a couple of weeks 'till Winter. The missionaries aren't really complaining. I forget if I mentioned it before, but the teacher's strike continues here in Chile. All the hooligans are running around all uneducated like, but they enjoy it. The strike is over a bonus that the teachers haven't received (equivalent to about 6000 dollars), and they refuse to teach until they receive it. My old Bishop told me that they weren't going to receive it, because it was a BONUS that they were going to receive IF they met certain standards, which they haven't. Well, I guess that's how life goes some times.

So this week we got a new investigator. He's súper. His name is Cristian. Cristian came to the baptism of Kati the week before, and enjoyed it so much, that he asked us to visit him in his house. One minor detail. He's openly homosexual (and Argentine! [from Mendoza]). It was actually the first thing that he told us after sitting down in his apartment. It wasn't that awkward though, so I guess I'm maturing. He told us that he's willing to give up homosexuality, smoking, and drinking because he was so impressed with the changes in Kati's life. He wants to be part of "a" church. Now we just have to show him that it's not just "a" church but THE Church. Well, that's what we do. Sometimes the Lord prepares the most unlikely of people. But there we go. We'll see if his words are sincere.

e'horspool