Alex's 63rd email from Chile 10/31/11

There is a very cool video and sweet story at the end of this email. It's a link - Enjoy!!!

The Anniversary Logo

Alex & Elder Mlazgar

Hola Familia!!!

This was an awesome week. Elder Carcamo & I are tearing it up. Love this Kid. I like how I called him a kid when he is 24 haha. S this week we were blessed with a visit from Elder Zebaillos and it was sick. They talked about how we need to maximize our time as missionaries cause it is short. How we need to have fun and be happy on our missions or what is the point. It was overall a very cool  meeting. He also said something very cool, he was at one point talking about the importance of latin missionaries to learn english and the importance for gringos to not forget their spanish. Well he then said that any person that can speak spanish and english can communicate with 80% of the church members and if you can add portugese 90% (ben) crazy eh? I thought that was really cool. When we were at this meeting I found the missionaries from Lo Ovalle, do not remember their names, but I asked them about Alan and it sounds like he is doing awesome. I love that Kid. He is soo awesome and faithful it is ridiculous.

 Republica Zone 

with Elder Zeballos of the Quorom of the Seventy & President & Herman King

*Alex is dead center in the third row next to the missionary with the red tie

This week I have done 2 divisions with elders and on divisions now with Elder Mlazgar. I love divisions but hate them at the same time. Love them because I get to know more people and missionaries better, but hate them  because to really see how the missionary works and give them pointers and advice, I need to go to their sectors and see them work with their investigators ( my opinion) but I hate leaving my sector. I know it's probably bad to feel this way. I don't want other missionaries teaching my investigators. I just don't want something bad to happen which is terrible to think but its like "I am teaching them. I know them. I know how to teach them. I know I work hard in my sector and if anyone is going to mess it up I want to do it." I don't know,  those are just my feelings about leaving my sector. I just don't like leaving my work in the hands of other people.

President & Hermana King at the rehearsal for the 50th Anniversary Celebration

Speaking of my sector, last week a guy was gunned down in my sector. The thing that freaked me out was that we were actually outside working at the time crazyness. This sector is so much different from my other ones. Last week this random girl came up to me and my companion and says to me "hey I wanted to say hi to you" So I shook her hand and she was like "no,  here in Chile we kiss." I told her we could not kiss as missionaries and she just says "no, kiss me." I said I couldn't and she said "lame" and walked away! I was just like "did that just happen?" This sector is sooo flaite!! I am in the hood. This weekend Colo-Colo and La U played - big time rivals.  After the game people were fighting in the street haha. Some old guy was like "hey elders don't take the metro it's too dangerous right now." I thanked him and told him we were not planning on taking the metro that day.

Elder Leavitt, Elder Adair & Elder Braddy 

MTC buddies happy to see each other at the rehearsal.

Elder Crowley with the 'peace' sign. 

He is our daughter's brother-in-law. He's in the mission that borders Alex's. Small world eh?

On Sunday I did my first baptismal interview as a district leader and guess what? she didn't pass!! So I am not starting off with a good track record. This lady is super repentant, but we have rules, and when it is a certain situation we just have them have another interview with President King. Same day Luis passed his baptismal interview and he is getting baptized this Saturday!!! I am so excited!

Some of the 3000 youth participating in the celebration

The protests have been non-stop since 6 months ago. It started because the students want free studies and the protests are always going on. Halloween we have the same work schedule.

Elder Mlazgar took this picture and his Mom shared it with me.

Our numbers were not as good as last week mainly because about half of our plans fell threw but it was still a good week.  We found 5 new and one of them is soo legit. His name is Giovanni. He is like 21 and lives in La Legua. I asked him why he wanted to listen to us and he said because he use to have a friend that is a member and always wanted to know what he believed. I later said "everyone of us has problems and challenges in life and that our message can help us get over them (something like that)" He said "good" because he had a painful experience happen about a year ago and is still trying to get over it.  Turns out he had his baby die a year ago so I asked him if he wanted to know where his kid is. He said "yes" and we shared Moroni 8 and talked about the plan of salvation. It was soooo AWESOME!!! The spirit was so strong and it was just awesome.

The district is awesome. We formed a team and played soccer against my ward today. In the New Testament I am in Juan haha John something I don't remember excactly.  Ummm I would like to know excactly how everyone is doing.  Say "hi" to Frank for me. Tell him we need to play ping pong because I think I can beat him now haha.

I love that the missionaries are participating in this part of the program. I don't even think it's when they sang.

Ok guys, I sent pictures. Hopefully you get everything cause the internet sucks today. I love you all soo much and I will talk to you next week.

LOVE O CON MUCHO AMOR

Elder Alex Leavitt

Here's the link to the video and neat story:

http://lds.org/church/news/chile-celebrates-50-years-of-missionary-work?lang=eng