March 25, 2013 Family Frogs!

First off, I love you all very much. General Conference anybody?? Anybody? Should be a real dandy. 

In short, we had a terrific week. Perhaps numbers have been higher before, but miracles never. 

Kyle has been very excited, for a very long time to be baptized. Well shoot, to be a missionary! Forget baptism, he has been talking a little bit about a mission already. But let´s not get ahead of ourselves, heaven forbid. Natalia, on the other hand, has had quite a few doubts, and in short lacking the faith in Jesus and his atonement to make the change from Catholiscism to Mormonism. Friday, a non member gave us a big bag a bread, and we felt that we should give it to Natalia and her family. We passed by, and ended up simply reading a few verses from Alma 7 with Natalia, her assigned reading from before. After a few minutes of discussing the scriptures, she broke down and told us that she had prayed to Heavenly Father, and wants to be baptized with Kyle (and maybe a cousin) as well the 20th of April. Turned out she had lost a visa card, prayed to God and made a deal with him that if she found it, she´d be baptized. She did! And she will! She also asked us if it is okay to be baptized over something so trivial. We told her it was ok, as did Alma 37:7. 

So I suppose that was ¨Neat¨ or ¨Rad¨ or something the teenagers would say.   

Also Yesterday I had the opportunity to carry out a bautisimal interview, my first, with Vanes from Haiti. He was born and raised there, with his now wife, Adline. They´ve been in Chile for almost a year and a half (I actually sent you a photo of him, he´s a real baller). He has a terrific testimony of the church, Jesus Christ our savior, the book of mormon, Joseph Smith,etc. We talked a lot about his experiences in Haiti and why the gospel of Jesus Christ, and his Church on the earth, has, is, and will continue to change this fallen world. It´s no secret that Haiti is the 2nd poorest country in the world, and has been literally destroyed in the past by earthquakes. We talked a little bit about the challenges, the poverty, the hunger, that is found there, and what we can do to change those things, "teaching people to fish, and feeding them for a lifetime." That power is found in Christ´s church today. Vanes said that the church is small in Haiti, it´s just beginning, but is ever growing. Every little thing we can do to help spread the gospel of Jesus Christ is important, from serving in our own wards, to donating generously to fast offerings, and other church funds. Mormon 8:35-37.

Vanes and I both left the bautismal interview very very edified, and I´m very grateful for that opportunity. He also gave the closing prayer in French, and I´d like to learn now as well. Along with Chinese. 

Also, as a preperation for the kid´s misions, ha well really for life, and for your missions, I encourage you all to start studying preach my gospel with me. It´s life changing, and there are so so so many things that should be applied there in EVERY aspect of life!

Love you all! I´m going to go buy some stuff with my good pal Elder Tait! Peaces! Thanks for Everything! 

March 18, 2013 Family Fish!

Hey there loved ones!

Well my Child, Elder Tait, is a real swell Elder. He´s 18, but he is quite a bit bigger than I, (see photos) from Hurricane, Utah!!! Woo! We´re learning lots of Spanish, He´s a lot of fun, has a great testimony and great desires to do the work of the Lord. And I'm learning how to be a father. In Sunday School, we had a class on respecting and loving, serving and supporting our spouses. Although I am not married, I added/am adding to a list of goals and things I will do and be, as a father, person, in life, etc. And I'm finding a myriad of ways to apply such things right now in the mission. For example, If I want to do the dishes everyday for my wife so we´re sweet and happy, I best start now, eh? I´m grateful for the revelation that God gives us daily, that he has given me about what I want to be and do, both through our studies and equally our experiences. DC, 88-118.

It´s very very gratifying the see how the Ward is changing. They are ever becoming more and more involved, and getting excited, in the work. Yesterday at church there was a new light in the ward, they are ever more willing, more excited, and more ready to accept our invitations to help them in the work, and even more importantly, are learning how to do it on their own. A great example is the Moena Family. They´ve essentially adopted their neighbor's children, and bring them to church, and they also always give us delicious food. 

Kyle and Natalia were progressing very very well throughout the week. We were able to visit them 3 times. Kyle (12) really really wants to be a missionary NOW! Although obviously there are steps that precede that. Natalia is progressing as well, but slower, and actually niether of them were at church yesterday. Please keep them in your prayers, that Natalia can have the courage to put her faith in Jesus Christ and repent and be baptized. 

This week we´ve got terrific plans to keep working and strengthening the ward, and find some new investigators thereof. 

I´m truly grateful for Jesus Christ, for what he did for me, that I can always seek to improve and change my life, and never be condemned. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and that Preach my Gospel is up there as well. I testify that this is his church.

I love you all so much, thanks for your support, and please keep in your prayers Elder Tait, Mortensen, Tlatelpa, Lythgoe, and Crider. 

Elder Tasso!

March 11, 2013

Dearest loved ones oh so close to my heart,

Howdy! We had a truly terrific last week togethor, me and my good friend Elder Manzano, that is to say that we have changes tuesday (tomorrow). Therefore, he will be training in another sector, and I will be training here in Clara Estrella! I am super stoked! To be honest, I'm excited to help him, to serve him, and to help him enjoy his mission. I'm also excited to apply things that I would like to do and be as a father, to my kids be ballers. Well there ya go. 

Kyle and Natalia both loved being at church sunday. The ward is really taking hold and charge of making them feel comfortable and welcom at church. Kyle is excited for his bautism the 30th, as is Natalia, although she is a little more anxious for her bautism. Please pray for her that she can overcome the transition, and put her faith and trust in God. 

We also had an awesome lesson with an Investigator Gabriela, and her inactive mother, Margharita. We had actually put a date with Gabriela 2 weeks before, but returned and could never find her in the house. Well saturday, we passed by again with a young man from the ward (Benjamin) and a sister from the Relief Society (Maria Abarzua). We shared our testimonies of Jesus Christ, and invited them to come to church the following morning, at 10:00. They agreed, and the amazing thing is that they actually came! Im sure that they assured it thouroughly. We have seen miracles, in the sense that the ward really is taking off, and playing a huge role in taking care of our investigators. They are the best! We are also still working a little bit with Lidia and her son Fabian. The problem is that she works so so much. Were looking for a new job for her to help her, but also, we need to pray for her to have the courage to make the necessary temporal changes that will allow her to attend church. In short (ha), keep my new greenie (he will be a gringo), the ward, El llano, Lo espejo, Kyle and Natalia, Rodrigo and the Molina family, Fabian and Lidia, the Family Soto, and Gabriela and her mother, Margharita in your prayers! 

Our English class saturday was fun. We taught only two people, a girl of 16 and a mother of 35ish (which is more than the other weeks- 0 and 0, due to complications) but it went really well. It's never an easy thing to learn a new language but its so much fun. There's a lot of joy, for me at least, that comes from being able to express yourself, and especially the gospel. I'm grateful for the blessing to serve here in Chile, and to learn a new language and of a new culture. God has blessed me immmensly. Anyone up for Mandarin now?

I'm grateful for the support we have had, and especially that we now have, as missionaries, from the ward. As Elder Manzano was saying goodbye sunday, it was very evident the change that has taken place in the excitement of the ward to help us. Of course that has come as a product of us learning and applying the Doctrine of Christ in our own lives- developing more faith in him, repenting, changing, and improving ourselves, taking the sacrament and fulfilling with our covenants, and repeating the process. How can we change those around us, if we don't first, change ourselves first? 

Thanks for all of the support, letters, prayers, etc. You all deserve Gold stars! I uploaded a few photos, and family, keep sending me your photos, they are the best (especially dad and anna right now)! 

Elder Manzano says hi. Well actually, he says Manda mis saludos a su familia. 

Elder Tasso

March 4, 2013

This´ll be a quicky! It´s important (well, at least they say it is, ha) that we be obediant and get to work, ON TIME! Bam!

Kyle and Natalia are progressing very very well. We moved Kyle and Natalia´s baptisimal date for the 30th of March becuase there is a very well thought out rule, (truly) that children (Kyle is 12) need a very solid foundation before they can baptize themselves, given that they don´t always understand the gravity of the decision they are taking. But they loved Stake Conference this past sunday, although it took them a while to find the church, due to fact that I had put the cell phone on silent without vibrations, and we had 5 missed calls and 2 texts. But in the end, twas´ awesome and the Hermana Moena is doing a fantastic job of making them feel welcome.

Today we played a little bit of futbol with the zone, and had a barbeque, which was a goooood time! It was a good opportunity to lift the zone, and be positive with all of the Elders (not everyone here plays as well as yours truly [just kidding, very rusty]), to share some food, and become more united in what we do- invite others to come unto Jesus Crist as missionaries.

I´ve noticed a huge differnece in my life from setting small consistent goals in what I do. For example, to always compare the temporal and spiritual blessings with the members, the investigators, etc. To live in the moment, and just open my mouth and think out loud. To always accept the suggestions, and be grateful for the suggestions from my comps, others, etc. To give compliments and point out the good, to compliment and thank the members for the efforts and their faith. 

By setting goals like that, with the overall end focus being to become more and more dedicated to converting others, I´ve noticed a small, but very steady, and very tangible difference in who I am. I´m changing!- which is very good because the process of developing faith, repenting, taking the sacrament, giving heed to the Holy Ghost, and Repeating, is the gospel. 

Thanks Tyler and Daddy-o for the help and the tips on goals and such. 

Also something awesome is that God is slowing but consistently revealing to me is what I want to do with my life. It´s good to have a plan, eh?

A fly just landed on my lip. Yuck. 

I´ve had an awesome experience memorizing the Living Christ in Spanish. It´s good stuff! 

Keep praying for Kyle, Natalia, Claudio, Barbara (all family); Lidia and Fabian; Elizabeth; the Molina Family; and everyone else. 

I testify that God lives, the Jesus IS our savior, that they love and know us so, so much. I testify that the canonized books are the word of God, especially of the truth of the Book of Mormon. I testify that the restoration started with Joseph Smith and continues today through our living profet Thomas S. Monson. I testify that the Holy Ghost can, will, and wants to reveal these things to us, if we let him. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

What can we do THIS week to convert eachother and ourselves a little more? To become more like Christ? To develop his attributes? 

Elder Tasso

February 25, 2013

Dear Family!

First off, I hope you´re all well. Well let´s get down to the meat of things, shall we?

We had an awesome ward activity saturday, from 1 o'clock to 6 or 7, it was awesome. We ate lunch, the members brought their own salads and drinks, and the main course provided by the ward was chicken and rice, with a cake/cornbread for desert. There was really loud music the whole time, a portable pool, and we played a little bit of futbol. There was also a theater show for the whole ward, I think it was some kind of mix of the big bad wolf fable. 

It was really awesome because Kyle and Natalia (Investigadores, 12 and 70ish years old, grandson and grandma) with their less active friends were able to attend, loved it, and after we went to a bautism in the sector El Llano, which was really excellent, both for them, for the new member there (Alexis), and everyone else. It was a great day, a real day of miracles. 

It´s a real bummer, but Lidia won´t be baptized Wednesday, for problems with the Law of Chastity with her partner. Although they don´t live togethor in the moment, they aren´t married or seperated officially, but they´re figuraring it out, and in the end, she had a terrific interview and is still progressing well. Keep praying for her, for  Lidia, Leda, Fabian, 

Kyle, Claudio, and Natalia. And also Soledad that we can teach her whole family! 

We will be recieving a bunch of missionares here tomorrow, and additionally in 2 weeks, and consistently after that every 6 weeks. I´ve got 2 more weeks with Elder Manzano, who is such a baller, I can truly say that with him, as well as with Elders Alonso and Guevara we have developed some strong relationships and friendships. I´ll be a District 

Leader as well, which should be fun stuff, and a good opportunity to love, serve, help, and be an even BETTER example!   

I´ve been recieving inspiration, in the most common form of thoughts, of things I want to do, to be, in my life, i.e. what type of father, member, etc. what I´d like to do with my life, my career, etc. It´s good to have a plan, eh? Also I´ve found real truth in the promise in 2 Nephi 32:3-4 that the scriptures will tell us ALL of the things that we need to do in our 

lives. Through them, in the moment or throughout the day, we commonly recieve sporadic, seemingly random thoughts about things we could do. Well, I´ve been writing some stuff down and Im grateful to God for the inspiration that he sends us. 

Love you all, Keep up everything that you do! 

Elder Tasso